Context:

A Metropolitan Police detective raped by a colleague in 2004 says Scotland Yard mishandled her case, describing the process as retraumatizing and emblematic of a culture she views as misogynistic. Det Con Linda Williams settled a civil claim against the Met after seeking damages for failing to protect her from serial abuser PC David Carrick, who was jailed for life in 2023 for multiple offenses. She publicly calls for Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to resign, arguing that promised reforms have not changed the force’s culture or improved support for victims. The interview underscores deep distrust in the Met’s handling of sexual violence and raises questions about accountability and reform timelines. The story situates her experiences within broader post-2020 scrutiny of the Met and ongoing debates over police culture and victim support.

Dive Deeper:

• Det Con Linda Williams was attacked by PC David Carrick in 2004, a serial abuser later jailed for life in 2023 for sexual offences against her and 11 other women.

• Williams pursued a four-year civil case against the Met seeking damages for failing to protect her, ultimately settling with compensation paid without the Met admitting liability.

• She describes Met lawyers questioning the severity of her PTSD, arguing the rape was a single episode; she rejects the notion that this could limit the trauma’s impact and says the process felt like retraumatization.

• Williams notes the psychological harm is largely attributed to the Met experience, estimating her PTSD to be 90% due to the force and 10% to Carrick, highlighting the abuse’s broader life impact.

• She has waived anonymity to speak publicly and is calling for Rowley’s resignation, accusing the leadership of not delivering meaningful cultural change despite prior promises.

• Carrick’s conviction followed heightened scrutiny after Sarah Everard’s murder and other scandals; Williams conveys a pervasive mistrust of the Met’s current ability to handle similar cases.

• The Met asserts it sought to reduce distress and handle her claims compassionately, while acknowledging Linda’s ongoing commitment to public service and victims’ support, though she remains unconvinced about meaningful reform.