London: A serving London police officer has admitted carrying out 24 counts of rape in a near two-decade-long campaign of abuse against women, making him one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders.

The Metropolitan Police and the country’s prosecution service said David Carrick, 48, had used his position of power to control and intimidate his victims, telling them no one would believe their word against that of a serving officer.

The Met, already grappling with a collapse of confidence among the public after a string of scandals, apologised for failing to spot the pattern of abuse earlier.

“This man abused women in the most disgusting manner. It is sickening. We’ve let women and girls down and indeed we’ve let Londoners down,” Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said in a statement.

“We have failed. And I’m sorry. He should not have been a police officer.”

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the case appalling and London Mayor Sadiq Khan said serious questions needed to be answered after Carrick pleaded guilty to 49 charges relating to 12 victims between 2003 and 2020.

“This is an appalling case and the prime minister’s thoughts are with all of his victims,” Sunak’s spokesman said. “Police forces must root out these officers to restore the public’s trust, which has been shattered by high-profile events such as this.”

Met Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray said the pattern of abusive behaviour should have been spotted earlier.

“Because we didn’t, we missed opportunities to remove him from the organisation,” she said. “We are truly sorry that Carrick was able to continue to use his role as a police officer to prolong the suffering of his victims.”