A sexual abuse scandal engulfing a police force deepened on Friday as it emerged that many more officers have come forward to allege they had been abused by a colleague than previously thought.
Norfolk police failed to bring its former medical examiner to justice for the campaign of sexual abuse he led during the 12 years he worked there, despite twice investigating complaints against him going back as far as 1993.
Dr Hugh O’Neill, who was already serving a prison sentence for sexual offences against two children, finally admitted to abusing 13 female colleagues in 2016 – 13 years after the force’s second investigation into him. But, since then, 20 more Norfolk police officers have made similar allegations, highlighting the extent of the force’s failings.
“The fact this offending took place within a police force and that two inquiries did not result in criminal action being taken against O’Neill is concerning,” said Norfolk police’s chief constable, Simon Bailey.
“Hugh O’Neill was a sexual predator who operated in plain sight using his professional role to abuse the trust of the very people who are expected to protect others from such abuse.”
The force first investigated O’Neill in 1993, about two years after hiring him, and again in 2002-3. But it failed to find enough evidence for charges to be brought against the GP.
He left the force in 2003 and his crimes only came to light when, in December 2014, he pleaded guilty to raping and sexually abusing two children. While committed during his time at Norfolk police, those crimes were not related to his professional role, it was reported at the time.
The following year, O’Neill admitted to offences against 13 female Norfolk police officers. And, since then, the new allegations have been made against him.
The force confirmed it paid out £269,500 in a settlement with a host of complainants who brought a civil case against it, though it refused on Friday to say how many people were in that group.
The senior Norfolk police officers who failed to being O’Neill to justice in 1993 “should have [his] sexual assaults on their conscience”, one victim told the Eastern Daily Press, which revealed the extent of the scandal on Friday.
“You have to ask the question – had police done something in 1993, would that have prevented him from doing what he did next?” said the woman.
A review into that investigation by Essex police, ordered by the police watchdog, found that two police officers may have cases to answer for gross misconduct. But, because they had since retired, no action could be taken against them, Norfolk police said.
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) review found that, while a specialist Norfolk police officer acknowledged it may not be possible to prove the allegations, it was nevertheless recommended that criminal proceedings be undertaken against O’Neill. The recommendation was ignored.
The CPS said the investigation, which was completed in April this year, was hindered because a key file related to the original 1993 inquiry had been destroyed, in line with police processes.
The review found that victims felt the issue was “swept under the carpet” and that some were warned to keep quiet by senior colleagues. It also said Norfolk police officers “had correctly reported the matter up the chain of command” but it did not lead to a prosecution.
It added that its investigator wrote that the “sheer number of complainants, together with the recommendation of the sexual offences officer, should surely have raised concerns and merited a further and more detailed investigation” than that carried out by the force.
Bailey said: “Our primary focus in any investigation is the victim or victims and I am acutely aware of the impact non-recent sexual abuse cases can have on those involved.”
He added that O’Neill’s eventual conviction was the “result of a lengthy inquiry and is one of many complex cases investigated by the force which has led to successful prosecutions in recent years”.
In a statement released on Friday, Bailey acknowledged that O’Neill had committed a series of offences between 1991 and 2003, while working for the force.
He said the review carried out by Essex police was “one of the most detailed and extensive in the constabulary’s history. It was imperative that we examined and assessed the organisation’s response to the original allegations made”.
Bailey said: “The report found some failings in both previous investigations, which is a matter of great regret. However, it is important to recognise the way the police service and society responds to allegations of this nature has changed considerably since these original inquiries took place.
“In my role as the national policing lead for child protection, I have seen a number of cases where people in positions of power and trust have used it to their advantage.”
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