Exclusive: Former Acting Met Commissioner facing investigation over alleged comments that many rape complaints were “regretful sex”

The alleged comments originated during ‘Operation Soteria Bluestone’, a review of rape conviction cases led by Professor Betsy Stanko.

Sir Stephen House served as Acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 10 April 2022, following the resignation of Dame Cressida Dick.  He emphatically denies the allegations and any wrongdoing.

One of Britain’s most senior ranking policemen is to be referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) over claims he described the “bulk” of rape complaints as “regretful sex”, following allegations made to Channel 4 News.

Tonight’s confirmation to Channel 4 News of the referral by the Metropolitan Police comes ahead of a special investigation airing tonight, as a Home Officer adviser comes forward for the first time to allege Sir Stephen House made the comments to her at a Scotland Yard meeting in January 2022 when he was Deputy Commissioner.

Current Deputy Commissioner Lynne Owens told Channel 4 News: “Having been made aware of an allegation that the comments were made by a senior Metropolitan Police officer, we are referring the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”

Sir Stephen has today emphatically denied the allegations and any wrongdoing, saying he found the term “regretful sex” “abhorrent” and welcomed an IOPC investigation.

The allegations have opened a bitter row over claims of institutional misogyny in British policing, ahead of a major review of the Met’s culture being conducted by Dame Louise Casey.

The alleged claims were made to Professor Betsy Stanko, an advisor appointed by the Home Office to conduct ‘Operation Soteria Bluestone’ – a major review, launched in 2021, aimed at increasing the number of rape cases making it to court.

Its latest report in December found widespread failings in police Rape and Sexual Offence units and a culture of disbelieving victims, with Professor Stanko’s research concluding that ingrained prejudice in the police was part of the problem.

Speaking exclusively to the Channel 4 News Investigations Editor Cathy Newman for the first time since the Home Office published the update to its review, Professor Stanko alleges Sir Stephen made the remarks at a meeting with top officers at Scotland Yard to discuss her project’s findings.

Addressing Cathy Newman on her recollections of the meeting, Stanko said:

“It felt as if he [Sir Stephen] was trying to minimise what the problem was, not taking it seriously. He used terms to describe – or a term to describe – what he thought the bulk of the rape complaints were, which was the term “regretful sex”.

On her view of the meaning of “regretful sex”, Stanko adds:

“The only way I understand the term regretful sex – and it was said by officers elsewhere, in the other forces that we visited and researched – it is something about the victim. Again, the victim is mistaken. That that faultline of forcible sex, which is rape, was not crossed because it must have been confusion. The problem was about confusion, not about the facts or the evidence that could have been collected if one was trying to investigate a rape.”

Sir Stephen House was Deputy Commissioner at the time and would soon become Acting Commissioner of the Met Police.

In a statement to Channel 4 News, Sir Stephen said:

“I have dedicated over four decades of public service to protecting the public from predatory offenders.

“I categorically deny using the phrase “regretful sex”. These are not words I have ever used in relation to rape or sexual assault and the reason I am so certain that I did not say this is because I simply do not believe it; I find the phrase abhorrent.

“I find this characterisation of me to be deeply upsetting, and colleagues who know me know how untrue it is.”

Channel 4 News heard from two other people who were said to have attended the meeting who both asked not to be identified. One told Channel 4 News he “did not recall” the comments being made. The other confirmed Betsy Stanko’s account.

The Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary Sarah Crew, who oversaw ‘Operation Soteria Bluestone’, also speaks exclusively tonight to Channel 4 News.

She confirmed to Cathy Newman that Professor Stanko had reported the alleged comments to her at the time, in her capacity as the country’s most senior officer in charge of adult sexual offences from the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Commenting on the claims against House, Chief Constable Crew said:

“The reference to “regretful sex” was one of several comments gathered by academics which point to outdated cultures and beliefs in The Metropolitan Police Service and in other forces.”

Adding her view on the veracity of Professor Stanko’s claims, Crew said:

“I have no reason to disbelieve her at all.”

She added:

“I cannot comment on whether the then Deputy Commissioner made those comments as I was not in the meeting where they are alleged to have been made.”

On her view of whether House’s alleged comments are reflective of a wider pattern in policing, Crew adds:

“It doesn’t surprise me, because we found it across five police forces.”

The investigation includes Chief Constable Crew’s reflections on the successes of ‘Operation Soteria Bluestone’, after putting her own force under the microscope as part of the review and her hopes that credibility in policing can be restored. Crew comments:

“Our legitimacy depends on us tackling these things that exist within our organisations in our institution, in our culture, and it will take a systematic approach to doing it and there’s a role for each of us in it.”

Cathy Newman also asked Professor Stanko whether she had confidence that the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley will fix the current problems of rape and violence against women, Stanko comments:

“I’m not sure I’d say confidence, I’d say I have hope that he will. I think the job is a tall one. I think that it requires far more organisational change than I think is understood at the moment.”

In a statement to Channel 4 News, Deputy Commissioner, Dame Lynne Owens said:

“Rape is a horrific offence that has a devastating and lasting impact.

“The comments included in the Operation Soteria Bluestone report are wholly unacceptable.

“We recognise that they risk further undermining the confidence of victims to come forward and that is deeply regrettable.

“Having been made aware of an allegation that the comments were made by a senior Metropolitan Police officer, we are referring the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”

FULL RESPONSE FROM SIR STEPHEN HOUSE QPM

“Dear Ms Newman

I have dedicated over four decades of public service to protecting the public from predatory offenders.

I categorically deny using the phrase “regretful sex”. These are not words I have ever used in relation to rape or sexual assault and the reason I am so certain that I did not say this is because I simply do not believe it; I find the phrase abhorrent.

Rape is a truly horrific crime and I, and many other colleagues, have strived to improve the service victims of rape receive; of course there is still much more to do. I and the Met accepted all of the recommendations made by the authors of this work and began to implement them immediately to improve the Met’s response to rape and serious sexual assault.

Throughout my police career and most especially in recent years as Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, Police Scotland and as Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, I have led thousands of officers in working to bring rape offenders to justice, to ensure victims are listened to, supported and safeguarded, and to prioritise rape investigation and detection.

As a public servant and as a father of two daughters I find this characterisation of me to be deeply upsetting, and colleagues who know me know how untrue it is.

I believe the Metropolitan Police will refer this situation to the IOPC to investigate and I wholeheartedly welcome this.”

Sir Steve House QPM