A former Metropolitan Police detective who once featured in a BBC documentary about rape investigations has been found guilty of abusing or harassing seven former partners, including physical assaults and threats of rape.
David Fall Exposed in Misconduct Hearing
Ex-Detective Constable David Fall, who previously worked for the Met’s Specialist Crime South team, was found by a Met Police misconduct hearing to have engaged in controlling, obsessive, and harassing behaviour towards multiple women.
Despite his public role in investigating rape cases, Fall was accused of domestic abuse, harassment, and non-consensual intimate photography between 2014 and 2020.
Serious Allegations of Abuse and Harassment
The misconduct hearing, which concluded on February 7, 2025, found that Fall:
- Physically assaulted two women, including poking a pregnant partner in the stomach, throwing a phone at her head, and jabbing her with a fork.
- Told one woman, “I could rape you if I wanted to”.
- Threatened another woman with rape, poured beer over her, threw a sandwich at her, and pulled her hair.
- Harassed five other women, bombarding them with hundreds of messages after their relationships ended.
- Secretly took intimate photographs of two women without their consent.
Hampshire Police Investigation and Arrests
Hampshire Police launched Operation Foam in 2020 after multiple victims came forward. Fall was arrested three times—in October 2021, February 2022, and April 2022—but no criminal charges were brought against him.
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson explained:
“We reviewed this case carefully, and after considering all the material passed to us by the police, we concluded there was not enough evidence to charge the suspect.”
Metropolitan Police Misconduct Verdict
Despite avoiding criminal prosecution, Fall was found guilty of gross misconduct. The Met Police misconduct panel determined that he would have been immediately dismissed had he not already resigned from the force in October 2024.
The panel stated:
“The Officer could not tolerate romantic rejection either easily or at all. His conduct towards the seven victims was controlling, obsessive, and harassing, causing each of them distress and alarm.”
Fall Denies Allegations, Claims “Witch Hunt”
Fall denied all allegations, claiming the seven women fabricated their evidence and accused Hampshire Police of actively seeking out alleged victims as part of a “witch hunt”.
Public Outrage and Trust in the Met Police
The case has intensified concerns over misogyny and abuse within the Met Police, especially in the wake of scandals involving Wayne Couzens (Sarah Everard’s murderer) and serial rapist PC David Carrick.
Although Fall is no longer in the force, critics argue that cases like his further erode public trust and highlight the urgent need for reforms in the police disciplinary process.
