EXCLUSIVE: Former Met Police officer gets just five and half years in prison for rape of woman after denying offence

A FORMER Met Police officer who colleagues said abused the trust of women in the "vilest way" has been jailed for just five and a half years after he was convicted of rape.

Former PC Anthony Watts attacked the victim while he was off duty between mid-January and early February in 2020.

However, he was not arrested until may 2022 when the victim reported the offence in the wake of the Wayne Couzens and David Carrick scandals.

He was charged with rape after more than two years of investigation in September 2024 and put the victim through the ordeal of a trial by pleading not guilty.

But, a jury at Croydon Crown Court found him guilty of the rape on July 8 this year and he was remanded in custody ahead of sentence this month.

Rape can lead to a sentence of from four years to life in prison with a minimum term of 19 years, meaning Watts' sentence was at the lower end of the scale.

Police officers are expected to receive tougher sentences than ordinary members of the public for criminal offences, due to the abuse of trust, and those who plead not guilty are entitled to no reduction in sentence.

Yet there are many cases of members of the public convicted of rape for the first time who received longer jail terms than Watts.

Former Met Police DS Steve Morris called for more details about Watts' offence to be made public in light of his low sentence.

He said: "For a police officer, it does seem at the low end of the sentencing guidelines when you compare it to what others have got.

"I would expect the Met to release more detail about this offence particularly in light of the Couzens and Carrick scandals and the drive to clean up the force.

Couzens kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021 and was jailed for a whole life term in September 2021 after he admitted the offences.

There was further scandal for the Met following the arrest of Carrick for rape in October 2021. More women came forward and he subsequently pleaded guilty to the rapes of multiple women, making him one of the country's most prolific rapists. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 30 years in February 2023.

The Met launched its biggest ever clean up of the fore in the wake of both cases with scores of other officers charged with sex offences and dismissed for sexual misconduct in the years since.

The Met refused to comment on Watt's sentence, but said his victim had been supported throughout the course of the investigation and trial by dedicated specialist officers.

Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, who leads the North Area policing team in which he served, said: “Tony Watts has shown a complete disregard for this victim-survivor and for his duty to protect women and girls – in the vilest way.

“We are going above and beyond at the Met to rid the force of those who corrupt our integrity, and it is quite right that Watts has been held accountable for his actions.

“It would have taken a huge amount of courage and strength to speak to police, the way this victim-survivor did, and I hope this sentence provides some closure.

“My message to any other victims who may have experienced a sexual encounter they felt wasn’t right is that they can and should come forward, and we will do everything we can to support you.”

A misconduct hearing took place on Friday, 8 August where Watts was dismissed without notice after the Chair found he breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct at a level of gross misconduct.

He will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies, the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.