Child rapist Police officer guilty of string of 'truly sickening' sex offences
An ex-Metropolitan Police officer has been found guilty of multiple counts of rape – including three counts of a child under the age of 13 – and a number of the offences took place while he was still serving as a cop.
Cliff Mitchell, 24, from Putney, was found guilty 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 at Croydon Crown Court today (Wednesday, February 21).
On Tuesday, 5 September 2023, Mitchell attended the address of a woman who he raped at knifepoint before blindfolding her with his hooded top, tying her hands with cable ties and forcing her into his car. She managed to escape from the car in a nearby street before approaching a member of the public who happened to be passing by, who let her into her car before calling 999.
An alert was put out for Mitchell’s car and he was stopped and arrested around seven miles away in Putney. An investigation was immediately launched, led by the Met’s dedicated Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offending team.
Mitchell had been subject to a previous rape investigation in 2017 which resulted in no further action. That case was then reinvestigated following his arrest and resulted in Mitchell being charged with an additional three counts of rape of a child under 13 and three counts of rape. These six charges relate to a second victim and occurred between 2014 and 2017.
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He was dismissed from the Met in December 2023 following an accelerated misconduct hearing for breach of a non-molestation order which had been in place since 20 July 2023. 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.
“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.”
In a tearful police interview that was played to the jury at Croydon Crown Court during the trial, his victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – said that Mitchell threatened he would kill her. She said: “He came up to me with a knife to my neck. ‘Do not move or else I will slit your neck right here’. Then he tied my hands with cable ties.”
He proceeded to hurl verbal abuse at her. She went on: “it was like it was a game to him” and claimed he said he would hurt her or anyone who would try to help her. Before he allegedly forced her and another person to get into his car, she recalled: “He was saying that he knew how to get rid of bodies because he was a police officer.”
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, http://www.victimsupport.org.uk.
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