Detective guilty of misconduct in public office

Pleading guilty to 13 counts of misconduct in public office, the former detective constable attached to Operation Sapphire admitted falsifying Crown Prosecution letters to alleged victims informing them that their cases were being discontinued due to lack of evidence.

Southwark Crown Court was told there were a total of 13 cases over three years involving 12 women and 11 suspects.

The officer also admitted to failing to take statements from key witnesses, falsely claiming to have carried out investigations. failing to submit evidence for forensic analysis, and to making false entries on the Metropolitan Police’s crime data base in order to cover his derelections of duties.

The investigation was carried out by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

IPCC deputy chair Deborah Glass described the actions of Coleman-Farrow as ‘beyond belief.’

“The MPS have told us they reviewed all cases where Mr Coleman-Farrow was officer in charge and I understand that, where cases required further or re-investigation this has been done. Our investigation did not reveal systemic or serious supervisory failings. While we may never fully understand the motivation for his actions, Mr Coleman-Farrow appears to have been a rogue officer who set out to deceive. In pleading guilty, Ryan Coleman-Farrow has at least spared some of his victims the burden of reliving their experiences, in court, of how their cases were, or were not investigated.”

In a statement, Metropolitan Police said 30 cases were reviewed:

“Following a thorough review of all those cases Coleman-Farrow had been working on a small number were re-opened and further inquiries conducted. Where necessary victims were contacted. No additional evidential or judicial opportunities were identified.”

The officer will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on October 11th.