Police officer who raped two women jailed for 12 years

A former police sergeant who was found guilty of a catalogue of sex crimes, including raping two women, has been jailed for 12 years.

Campbell Petrie had been convicted of eight charges involving physical and sexual abuse towards the women in Glasgow over a 17-year period between 2006 and 2023.

Petrie, who had denied the allegations, will be supervised and monitored in the community for a further three years after his release.

He is one of four serving or former Police Scotland officers who have been exposed as rapists in the space of five months.

It has also emerged that 45 serving officers are currently suspended over allegations of violence against women and girls.

Petrie was first arrested in 2009 after one of his victims accused him of threatening behaviour.

He was held in a police station for five hours, but no further action was taken at the time because of a lack of evidence.

In 2023, a second woman accused him of rape, prompting an investigation by specialist sexual crime officers.

Petrie was arrested, charged and suspended in December 2023. He retired from the force two years later.

In September this year he was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of eight charges involving sexual and physical assaults against the two women, including four counts of rape.

Judge Alistair Watson said he was imposing a sentence which reflected the seriousness and persistence of Petrie's crimes.

"I have read the eloquent and moving descriptions provided by both of the women and they describe the trauma at your hands, and the nature of the psychological harm that affects them today," he said.

The judge said the women had shown "remarkable courage" during the court proceedings.

"It was obvious that they suffer enduring pain for what you did to them," he told Petrie.

"I hope the resolution of these proceedings may close a chapter on their lives and allows them to move on with the process of recovery."

He placed Petrie on the sex offenders register and said he posed a risk of "significant harm to the public, particularly women you come into contact with in future".

The judge also imposed indefinite non-harassment orders which prohibit Petrie from contacting his victims in any way, and ordered him to stay 100m away from any location he believes his victims may be.

Petrie made no reaction when he was led from the dock by guards.

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said Petrie had committed "a series of severely abusive, exploitative and violent crimes towards women.

"His offending is in stark contrast to the professionalism and commitment of the officers who investigated him and ultimately helped bring him to justice."

Mairs said Petrie's victims had shown great courage in reporting his crimes and that he hoped the sentence would bring them some "closure and comfort".

He added: "This investigation shows the public that when matters of this nature are reported to us, regardless of who the perpetrator is, victims will be listened to and supported as we take immediate action to identify, investigate and bring to justice those responsible."

Petrie was sentenced the day after serving police officer John Williamson was found guilty of raping a teenage girl and a woman in Shetland . He will be sentenced in December.

In July, former constable Cameron Ross was jailed for 10 years for raping two women and abusing a third.

And in May, Alan Greer took his own life just days after a police raid on his home as part of an investigation into offences dating back to 2012.

An investigation has since established that the officer was a violent serial sex offender with at least 15 victims .

Petrie's conviction raised fresh questions over background checks on police in Scotland.

Forty five Scottish police officers suspended over alleged crimes against women

Rapist police officer was first arrested and released 17 years ago

Police officer guilty of series of rapes and sex attacks over 17 years

In 2023, all UK forces carried out a "historic data wash" following the crimes of Met officers Wayne Couzens, who abducted and murdered Sarah Everard, and serial rapist David Carrick.

Officers and staff were checked against the national police data base to identify whether they had a criminal past which had been missed.

Police Scotland has said that the 2023 data wash had not identified any unknown information on Petrie.

Earlier this month the force's commanding officer, Chief Constable Jo Farrell, told BBC Scotland News that 45 serving officers were currently suspended over allegations of violence against women and girls .

Under new regulations brought into force this year, about 8,000 police officers and staff will undergo renewed vetting.

The process is prioritising long-serving officers and those who work closely with vulnerable people.