Three senior officers may face charges over rapist cop ‘cover-up’
THREE high-ranking police officers could face criminal proceedings over allegations they orchestrated a cover-up to protect a rapist sergeant.
Former police officer Kevin Storey, 51, is serving nine years for raping one woman and sexually assaulting two others.
Now, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) has recommended a superintendent, a chief inspector and a sergeant should be charged with criminal neglect for allegedly trying to cover up complaints.
The Crown Office’s head of criminal allegations against police, Les Brown, ordered two major probes – one by the Pirc into serving officers, and the other by Police Scotland into those who have retired.
But Police Scotland was later stripped of its role amid claims of slow progress, with Merseyside Constabulary taking over. The English force has yet to conclude its part of the probe.
Last night, the move was welcomed by a female former constable who was among Storey’s victims. She cannot be named for legal reasons.
She claims senior ranks tried to suppress information which exposed his actions.
The former officer said: ‘All I’ve ever wanted was for the public to hear the truth and for any police officer involved in this conspiracy to be made accountable.
‘Certain officers made me feel ashamed to be in the police. I couldn’t believe I was surrounded by such corruption.’
Storey, 6ft 4in and 19st at the time of the offences, was found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh of rape, attempted rape and assaults on three women.
He was sentenced to 12 years, cut to nine on appeal. Having served half of his sentence, he becomes eligible for parole in four months.
His victim said: ‘I’m outraged and frightened that he could be out at the end of May.
‘For crimes as serious as rape, there should be no half sentence, especially if the perpetrator is a police officer.’
The alleged cover-up over Storey took place between 2011 and 2014 in the then Hawick-based G Division of Lothian and Borders Constabulary.
The woman, who had been in a relationship with Storey, said she was bullied and forced out of her job, with her complaints ignored.
When she reported him for drinkdriving, colleagues failed to stop and breathalyse him – and charged her with wasting police time.
Investigators are believed to have focused on how top officers allegedly declined to suspend Storey despite complaints about his violent behaviour, failed to process paperwork, and broke data protection laws to warn Storey of his victim’s allegations – and reveal her whereabouts.
A spokesman for Pirc’s investigation team said a report had been submitted to the procurator fiscal.
Superintendent Mark Hargreaves, head of Police Scotland’s professional standards department, said: ‘As the matter is with the Crown Office, it would be inappropriate to comment.’