Woman left by police is raped

An independent inquiry has been launched after a woman left by police on the street at 4am was raped and molested in two separate attacks.

The investigation comes after a judge accused police of "not using their common sense".

The 27-year-old Colombian woman was left to walk home in east London at 4am with no money or phone after her boyfriend was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

The two arresting officers refused to take her with them in their patrol car because it "breached guidelines".

She was raped as she walked through an east London housing estate, and minutes after being dumped in Leyton she was attacked by a second man.

Judge Timothy King spoke out at Snaresbrook Crown Court as he sentenced the second-attacker, Castro Jamela, to two and a half years for sexual assault.

The investigation has been handed over to the Directorate of Professional Standards after the judge challenged the Met's decision to put an officer who had been at the scene of the arrest in charge of an initial inquiry.

Detective Chief Superintendent Phil Flower will produce a second report after Inspector Pat McShane made no recommendations as to disciplinary action. Neither the victim or her boyfriend - who was found not to be over the limit - have made a formal complaint.

Patrick Gallagher, 24, of Tottenham, was jailed for eight years for the rape in July.