David Carrick, a serving Metropolitan Police officer, carried out a "systematic catalogue of violent and brutal sexual offences" on multiple victims, a court has been told, as his two-day sentencing begins.
The 48-year-old, who pleaded guilty to more than 70 separate offences last month, appeared at Southwark Crown Court before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, where he is facing a possible life sentence.
Carrick, who was an armed officer with the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit, conducted a 17-year reign of terror against at least 12 separate women.
Opening the case for the prosecution, Tom Little KC, said a large number of the offences had taken place during three controlling and coercive relationships.
He said two of the victims had been falsely imprisoned - one of them on at least ten occasions.
'Systematic catalogue of violent and brutal sexual offences'
Mr Little said: "If the offending had to be accurately and fairly summarised, it was systematic catalogue of violent and brutal sexual offences perpetrated on multiple victims."
The prosecutor said it did not matter to Carrick who the victims were.
He added: "She could be a new girlfriend, a long term partner, a police officer that he worked with or that he did not work with, a friend from a local sports club, his cleaner, a school-friend or a stranger.
"Where he had the opportunity he would rape them, sexually abuse them, assault them and humiliate them."
'He relied on his charm to beguile and mislead the victims'
Mr Little told the court that all of his victims were vulnerable in some way and Carrick used his position as a police officer to prey on them.
He said: "He frequently relied on his charm to beguile and mislead the victims in the first place, and would use his power and control, in part because of what he did for a living, to stop them leaving or consider reporting him."
Carrick, who was sacked from the Met last month following his guilty pleas, sat impassive in the dock as the case against him was set out.
Statements from each of his victims are expected to be read out in court before the judge passes sentence.
This is a breaking story. More to follow.
