LONDON — A former disgraced Metropolitan Police officer has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of multiple charges, including rape and kidnapping.
The ex-officer, Cliff Mitchell, 24, from Putney, will serve a minimum of 14 years following a trial at Croydon Crown Court.
Mitchell, who was a serving police constable in Hounslow at the time some of the crimes were committed, faced charges including ten counts of rape, three counts of raping a child under 13, one count of kidnapping, and breach of a non-molestation order.
His crimes came to light following an investigation led by Metropolitan Police detectives, culminating in his arrest and subsequent trial.
Crime Details and Arrest
In a harrowing incident on 5 September 2023, Mitchell attended the address of a woman, raping her at knifepoint, blindfolding her, and forcibly abducting her in his vehicle.
The victim managed to escape and was aided by a member of the public who contacted the police, leading to Mitchell’s arrest approximately seven miles away in Putney.
During the police search, items used in the commission of his crimes, including the hooded top used to blindfold the victim and cable ties, were recovered from Mitchell’s vehicle and a linked address.
Historical Allegations and Police Vetting Concerns
Mitchell had previously been investigated in 2017 following allegations that he raped a child multiple times between 2014 and 2017.
However, he was released pending further inquiries, and no further action was initially taken.
Mitchell joined the Metropolitan Police in 2021, raising significant concerns about the vetting processes in place at the time.
The Metropolitan Police have since stated that Mitchell would not be cleared to join under current vetting protocols.
Metropolitan Police Response
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy highlighted the courage of Mitchell’s victims, who reported the ex-officer and testified against him in court.
Cundy also addressed the reforms in the Metropolitan Police’s vetting procedures, emphasising the enhancements in their vetting unit aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
Sentencing and Police Reform
The Metropolitan Police’s dedicated Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offending (DASO) team, which led the investigation, is part of a broader initiative to tackle violence against women and girls.
Mitchell’s dismissal from the police force in December 2023 followed a misconduct hearing that considered the gravity of his actions and the breach of public trust involved.
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LIFE! with a minimum of 14 years! That’s a joke, he could get 14 years for each of his “crimes”. Obviously the judge is an idiot and needs to go on a course or two. Sentences like this are no deterrent to future criminals and sex offenders. Life should mean life or a minimum of 70 years, whichever is the longer.
Raping anybody is a horrible crime, but raping a child is beyond the pale. For raping a 13 year old three times, others, presumably adults, another seven times and kidnap he gets a life sentence. Good. Quite right. This man is clearly far too dangerous to be wandering the streets. Excellent result.
Then we get the kicker. He will only serve 14 years. He will only be 38 when he is released, still a man in his sexual prime. He will certainly offend again and there will be more victims. This is so wrong. The key should be thrown away. The only time he should be released is into the care of undertakers.
A distorted view of the situation. Release at 14 years is not automatic and the ultimate decision to release lies elsewhere with the parole board’s recommendation, which can be overruled. I think it highly unlikely that he will enjoy freedom in 2038, and rightly so.