Women's rape claims ignored after police filed reports wrongly

A SERIES of rape allegations was not investigated properly because Metropolitan Police officers failed to classify complaints correctly, Scotland Yard said today.

Officers in up to six boroughs incorrectly dealt with complaints from women who reported they may have been raped, a Scotland Yard review has found. Officers breached police policy by classing the reports as crime-related incidents - not crimes - which meant that cases were not fully investigated.

Victims of black cab rapist John Worboys were among the women who had their complaints filed wrongly.

Worboys, 51, of Rotherhithe, was convicted of 19 rape and sex assault charges on Friday. His case is believed to have triggered the internal review.

The wrongful practice of dismissing rape claims took place for several years until last year. The number of recorded rape cases rose by up to 25 per cent after it was discovered and corrected, in contrast to an overall decline in crime in London.

Official figures released by Scotland Yard states that 2,366 rapes were recorded from December 2007 to December last year compared with 1,897 in the previous year.

Despite official policy stating that all claims of rape should be investigated unless police have strong evidence to believe a claim is false, officers ignored the edict in at least six of the Met's boroughs.

The flawed practice occurred when women went to police fearing they were raped but were unable to recall what happened - which is not unusual for rape victims who were drugged or under the influence of alcohol during the assault.

The revelation has led to fears that officers are under pressure to "massage the figures" and keep crime statistics down.

Brian Paddick, the former deputy assistant commissioner who once led a Scotland Yard drive to increase rape convictions, said: "It is shocking this has happened for such a serious offence.

"It could be a reflection of the pressure the police are under from the Home Office to improve the clear-up rate and reduce reported crime. There is not the political will in government and the Home Office to put resources into place, which the offence requires, to bring people to justice."

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating.

A Met spokesman said: "We voluntarily referred issues around the Worboys investigation to the IPCC.

"A decision has been taken to move rape and serious sexual violence investigations into a new operational command based within specialist crime.

"This follows a seven-month review and consultation by territorial policing and specialist crime into how we can continue to improve the Met's response to these crimes."

Evening Standard revealed last week that police missed a key opportunity to stop Worboys.

The cabbie was arrested in July 2007 the day after he drugged and sexually assaulted a 19-year-old student he picked up in Covent Garden.

Despite evidence suggesting his involvement, Plumstead police released him on bail and failed to proceed with the case. Worboys went on to attack about 30 women in the seven months before he was finally caught.