A woman who received a substantial payout from the Metropolitan Police says she regrets reporting a predatory officer, stating she has not received "truth or accountability" from the force. The woman, identified only as Lorraine, described her nine-year struggle to be believed as "horrendous, far worse than anything he put me through."
The Met Police has apologized, acknowledging that Lorraine's experience with its Professional Standards unit compounded her distress. Her case was previously highlighted in Baroness Casey's 2023 review of the force, which characterized the Met as "institutionally misogynistic."
Lorraine met former PC Phil Hunter in 2017 during a welfare visit to her home. A disciplinary panel found Hunter guilty of gross misconduct in August 2024. The panel heard that over two years, Hunter sent Lorraine inappropriate messages and attempted to isolate her from friends and family as part of a "deliberate" and "predatory" plan to initiate a sexual relationship.
Hunter retired in 2019 while under investigation for a similar case involving another vulnerable woman he had met during a welfare visit and with whom he had begun a sexual relationship. He was found guilty of gross misconduct for his behavior towards that woman a year later.
Despite the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) being aware that Hunter had targeted another victim under similar circumstances, Lorraine's complaints were initially dismissed. She recounted being told by the first officers she spoke to that "police predators only exist in the mind of Daily Mail readers" and that officers frequently met partners in such ways.
Baroness Casey's 2023 report described Lorraine's experience as "traumatizing" by both PC Hunter and the subsequent treatment by the DPS. The report called for urgent reforms within the force, particularly concerning its misconduct system, and recommended a review of Lorraine's case.
It was not until August 2024, after intervention and recommendation from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), that a disciplinary panel finally convened. Hunter, who was described as a "sexual predator who used his position to take advantage of vulnerable women," was found guilty of gross misconduct for a second time. The Met Police stated it is actively working to improve its culture.