Watchdog attacks police for 'inept' child rape inquiry

The Independent Police Complaints Commission found four Dyfed-Powys Police detectives failed to investigate after a woman told them in April 2005 she was raped as a child 10 years earlier.

She appeared as a witness in a trial in 2009 in an entirely different case. The defence questioned her about the allegation but she had to tell the court she had not heard anything after reporting it.

The court directed the prosecution to find out the outcome but a file could not be found and the victim's account and credibility were challenged in court.

Further enquiries confirmed her story, however, and a file was found in a CID office in the Pembroke area. It held claims from another alleged victim of the suspect which were not recorded or investigated.

The suspect was never arrested and an investigation never concluded. Four police officers have since faced misconduct hearings.

IPCC commissioner for Wales Tom Davies said: "The accumulation of individual and organisational failures described in our investigation led to a Dyfed-Powys Police response so inept that it borders on the unbelievable."

He said the man was a known sex offender on the sexual offenders' register and a through investigation was warranted.

Deputy Chief Constable Jackie Roberts apologised publicly on behalf of force.

She said: "We accept the findings of the independent IPCC investigation and the principal officers involved have been subject to misconduct proceedings.

"We are confident that our crime management procedures are now far more improved and robust than was the case in 2005 which will assist in ensuring that the situation ... should not happen again."