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| Former Met detective jailed over botched rape investigations | Former Met detective jailed over botched rape investigations |
| (5 months later) | |
| A former detective who botched rape and sexual assault cases and then tried to cover up his failings has been jailed for 16 months. | A former detective who botched rape and sexual assault cases and then tried to cover up his failings has been jailed for 16 months. |
| Ryan Coleman-Farrow, 30, was sentenced for a string of failures linked to 13 cases, including falsely claiming that a rape victim had dropped charges and falsifying witness statements. | Ryan Coleman-Farrow, 30, was sentenced for a string of failures linked to 13 cases, including falsely claiming that a rape victim had dropped charges and falsifying witness statements. |
| He pleaded guilty to 13 counts of misconduct in a public office at Southwark crown court last month. | He pleaded guilty to 13 counts of misconduct in a public office at Southwark crown court last month. |
| Passing sentence, Judge Alistair McCreath told Coleman-Farrow: "In all 13 cases you failed to take steps that were appropriate and necessary for a full and proper investigation of each case, whether by failing to take statements or to gather exhibits or to pass material on to other agencies for further investigation or analysis." | Passing sentence, Judge Alistair McCreath told Coleman-Farrow: "In all 13 cases you failed to take steps that were appropriate and necessary for a full and proper investigation of each case, whether by failing to take statements or to gather exhibits or to pass material on to other agencies for further investigation or analysis." |
| He went on: "You covered up your failure to do them justice by lying and creating false records." | He went on: "You covered up your failure to do them justice by lying and creating false records." |
| The charges relate to rape and sexual assault investigations between January 2007 and September 2010 while Coleman-Farrow was a detective constable for the Metropolitan police. | The charges relate to rape and sexual assault investigations between January 2007 and September 2010 while Coleman-Farrow was a detective constable for the Metropolitan police. |
| Coleman-Farrow, from Hastings, East Sussex, admitted entering on the police computer that the Crown Prosecution Service had advised that charges should be dropped in rape cases, when no such instruction had been given. | Coleman-Farrow, from Hastings, East Sussex, admitted entering on the police computer that the Crown Prosecution Service had advised that charges should be dropped in rape cases, when no such instruction had been given. |
| He also failed to get witness statements and did not send exhibits for analysis. | He also failed to get witness statements and did not send exhibits for analysis. |
| His failings affected the case of a 96-year-old woman allegedly raped in her home by her own son. | His failings affected the case of a 96-year-old woman allegedly raped in her home by her own son. |
| The officer did not submit evidence of the attack to the Forensic Science Service and falsely claimed to have obtained witness statements. The case was closed and in February last year the alleged victim died. | The officer did not submit evidence of the attack to the Forensic Science Service and falsely claimed to have obtained witness statements. The case was closed and in February last year the alleged victim died. |
| Coleman-Farrow also made mistakes in the case of a 14-year-old boy who studied at a school for children with special needs. After it was alleged the boy had been abused by a classmate, the officer failed to collect paperwork, did not take a statement from a girl who allegedly witnessed the incident and had no record of a statement from the class teacher. | Coleman-Farrow also made mistakes in the case of a 14-year-old boy who studied at a school for children with special needs. After it was alleged the boy had been abused by a classmate, the officer failed to collect paperwork, did not take a statement from a girl who allegedly witnessed the incident and had no record of a statement from the class teacher. |
| Another case involved a 44-year-old woman who alleged she had been raped by a carer in the care home where she was living. | Another case involved a 44-year-old woman who alleged she had been raped by a carer in the care home where she was living. |
| Coleman-Farrow falsely claimed he had interviewed the suspect and said the Crown Prosecution Service advised against further action when no such advice had been given. | Coleman-Farrow falsely claimed he had interviewed the suspect and said the Crown Prosecution Service advised against further action when no such advice had been given. |
| In mitigation, the defence lawyer Richard Atchley said his client's behaviour had been related to a pernicious form of cancer he had suffered during the time of the offences, coupled with the collapse of his first marriage. | In mitigation, the defence lawyer Richard Atchley said his client's behaviour had been related to a pernicious form of cancer he had suffered during the time of the offences, coupled with the collapse of his first marriage. |
| Atchley said: "This was not corruption and not even laziness. | Atchley said: "This was not corruption and not even laziness. |
| "He was covering up failures that happened six years into a job before which he had been a very effective officer. These failures were due to poor health over part of three years. His major failing was in not sharing it with anyone else and in particular those he worked for." | "He was covering up failures that happened six years into a job before which he had been a very effective officer. These failures were due to poor health over part of three years. His major failing was in not sharing it with anyone else and in particular those he worked for." |
| Coleman-Farrow's failures came to light when complaints were made by a sex worker called Jaime Perlman. | Coleman-Farrow's failures came to light when complaints were made by a sex worker called Jaime Perlman. |
| She claimed she was being stalked by a client in 2009 and was unhappy with the way the officer, who has since been sacked, handled the harassment claims. | She claimed she was being stalked by a client in 2009 and was unhappy with the way the officer, who has since been sacked, handled the harassment claims. |
| Perlman later took her own life in an apparent suicide pact with another sex worker, Riley Lison-Taylor, and no findings were made against Coleman-Farrow in relation to that case. | Perlman later took her own life in an apparent suicide pact with another sex worker, Riley Lison-Taylor, and no findings were made against Coleman-Farrow in relation to that case. |
| However it triggered a probe by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the officer's conduct, which led to the 13 charges being brought. | However it triggered a probe by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the officer's conduct, which led to the 13 charges being brought. |
| The IPCC deputy chairwoman Deborah Glass described the former police officer as a "rogue officer who deceived his colleagues and concocted evidence to cover his tracks". | The IPCC deputy chairwoman Deborah Glass described the former police officer as a "rogue officer who deceived his colleagues and concocted evidence to cover his tracks". |
| She said: "Coleman-Farrow admitted during his criminal interviews with the IPCC that in some cases he actively lied and misled his supervisors to cover up his shortcomings and that they would have had no reason to question the validity of the evidence he produced." | She said: "Coleman-Farrow admitted during his criminal interviews with the IPCC that in some cases he actively lied and misled his supervisors to cover up his shortcomings and that they would have had no reason to question the validity of the evidence he produced." |
| Rosemary Fernandes, crown advocate for special crime at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Victims of crime should have confidence that their allegations will be properly considered by the police and, where appropriate, that the evidence will be reviewed by the CPS for potential prosecution. | Rosemary Fernandes, crown advocate for special crime at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Victims of crime should have confidence that their allegations will be properly considered by the police and, where appropriate, that the evidence will be reviewed by the CPS for potential prosecution. |
| "Coleman-Farrow stood in the way of justice being done." | "Coleman-Farrow stood in the way of justice being done." |
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