Cliff Mitchell, 24, from Putney was found guilty at Croydon Crown Court of 10 counts of rape, three counts of rape of a child under 13, one count of kidnap and breach of a non-molestation order.

He was a serving PC in Hounslow when he committed a number of the offences, the court heard.

On 5 September last year, Mitchell attended the address of a woman who he raped at knifepoint.

He then blindfolded her with his hooded top, tied her hands with cable ties and forced her into his car.

The court was told she managed to escape from his vehicle in Longfield Avenue in Hackbridge and approached a woman who let her into the car before calling 999.

Croydon Crown Court was told by prosecutor Catherine Farrelly the woman was screaming "he held a knife up to me, I'm so scared" after she was helped by the female motorist.

According to the prosecution, Mitchell said to the woman: "I don't care about my life anymore, you've met the devil."

The woman also said that the officer told her his assault was "pre-planned".

Mitchell was arrested seven miles away from Putney after an alert was put out for his vehicle.

Afterwards, officers from the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offending Team searched his car and recovered the hooded top used during the assault.

A search of an address linked to Mitchell also found a bag containing cable ties, similar to those the victim had described as being used around her wrists.

Mitchell was remanded in custody and charged with multiple counts of rape, kidnap and breach of a non-molestation order. He was immediately suspended from the Met.

He had previously been subject to a rape investigation in 2017, which had resulted in no further action, but after his arrest the case was reinvestigated and shared with the Crown Prosecution Service.

Read more:
'Panic on police faces' as 'body of Clapham chemical attack suspect' found in Thames
UK's nuclear deterrent still works, minister insists, after missile misfire

The former PC was then charged with an additional three counts of rape of a child under 13 and three counts of rape between 2014 and 2017, in relation to a second victim.

He was charged with seven counts of raping a woman between April 2020 and September 2023 - while he was a police officer - breaching a non-molestation order and two counts of kidnapping, and had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

'Brazen abuse of power'

Mitchell was dismissed from the force in December last year after a misconduct hearing for breach of a non-molestation order, which had been in place since 20 July.

In a statement, the Met Police's deputy assistant commissioner Stuart Cundy said: "This is a truly shocking case and I am sickened by Mitchell's abhorrent behaviour and the pain he has caused the victims, who have shown enormous bravery by coming forward and giving evidence in court.

"It is down to their courage that he has been convicted and faces a significant custodial sentence. I would also like to recognise the brave member of the public who came to the aid of one of the victims as she ran from Mitchell's car.

"Mitchell not only carried out a sustained campaign of abuse against both of his victims, but he told one of them she would never be believed due to the fact he was a police officer. This brazen abuse of power makes Mitchell's actions all the more deplorable.

"I know this is another case which will impact the confidence people have in us. We are doing more than we have done in decades to rid the Met of those who corrupt our integrity, including investing millions of pounds into our professional standards team and bringing in additional officers and staff with specialist skills and experience to investigate criminality and misconduct.

"Part of that is dismissing officers who should not be here at the earliest opportunity. Mitchell was dismissed from the Met in December 2023 - we did not wait for his conviction today."