Former Metropolitan police officer David Carrick, 48, could lose his estimated £22,000-a-year pension after he admitted to dozens of rape and sexual offenses against 12 women over two decades. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called for the Home Secretary to strip Carrick of his pension, a move backed by some government ministers. A new Express.co.uk poll has found almost 90 percent of readers support the automatic loss of pension entitlements.
Carrick used his role to instill fear in his victims, and this connection to his job has prompted Mr. Khan’s application. A spokesperson said: “The mayor’s office for policing and crime will pursue pension forfeiture through an application to the home secretary as it is clear that PC Carrick committed offenses in connection with his service as a member of a police force.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was in favor of Carrick losing his pension. She said: “David Carrick’s sickening crimes are a stain on the police and he should never have been allowed to remain as an officer for so long. I support the Mayor’s Office in pursuing the forfeiture of his pension. I will consider any application for a forfeiture certificate from [the mayor’s office for policing and crime].”
Home Office minister Robert Jenrick has also spoken out, telling ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “There are very strong arguments for doing so as although some of this activity may have occurred outside of David Carrick’s exact role, it was linked to it.”
Guidelines for forfeiture applications state that the removal of a police pension can be made when an officer has been convicted of a criminal offense committed in connection with their service which leads to a serious loss of confidence in policing.
READ MORE: Ministers back stripping police rapist David Carrick of his pension
In a poll that ran from 1.15pm on Wednesday, January 18, to 1.30pm on Friday, January 20, Express.co.uk asked readers: “Should all police convicted of serious crimes automatically lose their pensions?”
Overall, 2,278 readers cast their votes with the vast majority, 89 percent (2,032 people) answering “yes” in support of automatic pension loss.
In contrast, 10 percent (223 people) said “no” convicted police officers should not automatically lose their pensions and a further one percent (23 people) said they did not know either way.
Dozens of comments were left below the accompanying article as readers discussed pension entitlement.
Many readers commented that convicted officers should automatically lose their pension, with username Imjin writing: “Should not be even considered, should be an automatic loss of all privileges!”
Username Dan Archer said: “Absolutely, anyone convicted of a serious crime should lose all privileges and police pensions are an expensive privilege. His pension should go to a victim fund.”
Another, username Bye and thanks for all the fish said: “A policeman committing a crime is an oxymoron. That individual was never fit to be in the force so all rights and privileges should be removed and that should be in the contract of employment.”
And username ursh45 added: “Most definitely yes they should lose their pensions.”
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Some readers thought this should be extended to other roles, like username uncivilservant, who said: “Not just police, any public servant convicted of a serious crime constituting malfeasance in public office should lose their pension.”
Similarly, username JacquelineMcConnell wrote: “Yes they should. It should apply to all government employees, police, fire, prison services, nurses and civil servants.”
However, a minority of readers commented that convicted officers should not lose their pension if they have a family. Username Rob Roy said: “Depends if they have a family. The family shouldn’t be penalized because of their misdemeanor.”
And username doneworrying wrote: “No they should not automatically lose their pensions as it will be the family which gets punished for other people’s crimes.”
