Wiltshire Police officers warned over David Carrick failings

Carrick, a former Metropolitan Police officer, was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison for 49 violent and sexual offences last year.

But in 2016 Wiltshire Police officers failed to investigate an allegation of abuse involving Carrick, which was reported to them by a member of the public.

PC Emma Fisher and Inspector David Tippetts, who was a police sergeant at the time, have both been slapped with final written warnings following an independent misconduct hearing.

This hearing came after an IOPC investigation, which concluded in January, established a woman called Wiltshire Police in January 2016, five years before his arrest, to report Carrick had abused another female.

The investigation found that, after speaking to the woman, PC Fisher requested the case be closed and supervisor Insp Tippetts agreed.

PC Fisher updated the force’s computer system to say the matter had been investigated when no record of a previous investigation could be found.

Neither officer took any further action, and the reported victim was never contacted about the allegation.

David Carrick (Image: Metropolitan Police)

If either officer had searched Carrick’s name on Wiltshire Police’s crime recording system, they would have found he was under investigation for unrelated offences against another woman, reported just three days earlier.

The Met Police’s Directorate of Professional Standards was not contacted despite the fact Carrick was a serving officer.

The hearing upheld 11 allegations that PC Fisher failed to investigate the allegation adequately or at all, failed to carry out her duties and obligations to the best of her ability, and did not ensure that an accurate record of her actions was kept.

One allegation was withdrawn and another unproven.

Inspector Tippetts in 2021

Five allegations that Insp Tippetts failed to verify PC Fisher had undertaken the matters under investigation, or instructed her to carry out further actions, were also upheld.

Taken cumulatively, the panel determined that the breaches reached the threshold of misconduct.

The panel judged both officers made an “isolated error” that was not deliberate or premeditated.

The final warnings will be live for two years.

IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: “No one is to blame for David Carrick’s horrific spate of offending but him.

“However, our investigation found there was a missed opportunity by Wiltshire Police officers to investigate him following a report of a serious abuse allegation made years before he was eventually arrested.

“PC Fisher took minimal investigative action. She didn’t try to contact the victim of the reported crime, flag to the Met a serious allegation against one of its officers, or search David Carrick’s name on Wiltshire Police’s systems.

“This would have shown that Carrick was already under investigation following another a report of a serious offence three days earlier.

“PC Fisher requested the investigation be closed following minimal work or effort, and her supervisor, PS Tippetts, agreed and - contrary to the force’s policy - failed to flag any concerns to colleagues in CID who specialise in investigating serious allegations.”

Inspector David Tippetts (Image: Newsquest)

Deputy Chief Constable Craig Dibdin added: “This is a clear case of officers failing, in the most basic sense, to properly investigate allegations made to them.

“I would like to apologise unreservedly to the person whose report we did not initially investigate as we should.

“We will ensure that, organisationally, we will share all the learning emanating from this case to improve the service we provide.”

Wiltshire Police have urged members of the public who have concerns about members of Wiltshire Police to report them so “robust action” can be taken in issues of misconduct.