Domestic violence charity Refuge places 1,071 rotten apples outside New Scotland Yard in powerful protest

Powerful images shared by the charity Refuge aims to highlight the number of Met officers who are under or have been under investigation.

The move is to reflect the number of Met officers who have been, or are currently, under investigation for allegations of domestic abuse or violence against women and girls.

The protest comes after David Carrick was exposed as being one of the UK’s most prolific known sex offenders.

The sacked Metropolitan Police constable admitted 49 criminal charges, including 24 counts of rape against 12 women, as it emerged he had faced complaints about his behaviour before he joined the force 22 years ago and numerous other times throughout his career, but no action was taken.

The Carrick case plunged the Met into fresh crisis after a series of damaging scandals, including Sarah Everard’s murder, offensive messages exchanged by a team at Charing Cross police station and the strip-search of a teenage girl at school while she was on her period.

The head of Scotland’s police force Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone also said police need to “earn” the trust of the public.

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said weak policies and decisions meant the serial rapist was able to stay in the force for so long, adding the force had “let London down”.

More than 1,000 officers and staff at Scotland Yard who have previously been accused of domestic abuse or sexual offences are now having their cases reviewed.

Refuge aims providing specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence and can be contacted here.