Ireland Murdock

ISLINGTON’S most senior police chief said he was determined to have a force that people trusted – as he praised a woman who came forward to report a rape by an officer.

Chief Superintendant Andy Carter, the borough commander, also thanked those who had worked on the investigation which led to a guilty verdict.

Ireland Murdock, 26, had been a police constable attached to the Central North Basic Command Unit which covers Camden and Islington, when he raped a woman while off duty in September 2021.

He was convicted on Monday following a trial at Inner London Crown Court.

The jury heard that in January 2022, after the woman had made a report about the incident, Murdock searched for the victim’s name on a police system and accessed a restricted file relating to her. He was dismissed from the Met in July after he pleaded guilty to accessing the restricted information on the victim.

Ch Sup Carter said: “Murdock committed an absolutely atrocious offence, and caused his victim a lot of pain and fear. He betrayed everything we stand for and I am disgusted by his actions.

“I would like to thank the victim for her courage and bravery in coming forward.”

Ch Supt Carter – who last week urged the public not to lose faith the city’s police force following the shocking findings of the Casey report into the Met – said: “We took immediate action to suspend Murdock from duty when his offending came to light and we dismissed him at the earliest opportunity.

“We are determined to have a Met that the public can trust, with officers that people feel confident to approach.”

He added: “When someone fails to meet these standards, we will take action to remove them from our organisation.”

Murdock will be sentenced at the same court on May 23.