Police To Use Licensing Laws To Tackle Rape

In an effort to “create a hostile environment for rapists”, police in the country's biggest force will use licensing laws to shut down pubs and clubs where high levels of rape and sexual assaults take place.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Duthie, the new head of the Metropolitan police's sex crime unit, Sapphire – which has been beset by controversy – has revealed, in his first interview, a rape prevention strategy that will target men and women.

It aims to challenge male behaviour while attempting to speak to women about reducing their vulnerability to rape.

The Sapphire controversy started when it was revealed a former officer, Ryan Coleman-Farrow, failed to investigate rapes, pursue suspects or submit evidence over a three-year period. His activities have left 11 alleged sex attackers at large.

At Southwark crown court, Coleman-Farrow has admitted 13 counts of misconduct in public office. The officer, who was based in Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, has admitted falsifying computer records to bring cases to an end when no such decision had been made.

Duthie said he was determined to root out below-standard officers. "It is a big responsibility investigating rape; if we get it wrong, a rapist walks free, I don't want that to happen on my watch." His tactics to bring more rapists to justice and prevent sex attacks taking place include:

• Using the licensing laws for the first time to shut down pubs and clubs which generate a high level of rapes and sexual assaults.

• Using covert police tactics to target men who have never been charged and convicted of rape, but where intelligence suggests they are perpetrators.

• A hard-hitting prevention campaign to target male behaviour and speak to women about reducing their vulnerability.

• Increasing supervision of his officers by restructuring Sapphire into five or six large regional teams.

On the unprecedented use of licensing laws to deter potential sex offenders, he said: "If you were in Lewisham High Street at night and someone had a glass or bottle stuck in their neck, we would use the licensing legislation to close that place down. But until now we haven't done that for sexual offences.

"We are looking at areas that generate high levels of sexual offences, identifying nightclubs or pubs where this might happen, and which we can link back to rapes and use the licensing laws against these premises."

(H)