Former Police Scotland Officer Convicted of Series of Rapes and Sex Attacks Over 17-Year Period

A former Police Scotland officer has been convicted at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty of committing a substantial catalogue of sexual offences over a 17-year period. Campbell Petrie, 50, was convicted on nine separate charges involving severe sexual violence and physical abuse spanning between 2006 and 2023, bringing to an end a long-running pattern of offending.

The verdict delivered in the High Court detailed a harrowing series of crimes carried out across nearly two decades. Among the nine charges on which Petrie was convicted were two counts of rape, alongside offences of indecent assault and assault with intent to rape. The jury also found him guilty of assault to injury and danger of life, reflecting the serious harm inflicted upon his victims.

Throughout the entire 17-year timeline during which these offences were committed, Petrie was serving as an active police officer within the ranks of Police Scotland. However, authorities confirmed that the criminal acts for which he has now been convicted took place while he was off duty, rather than during the direct execution of his official shifts.

The formal disciplinary and criminal proceedings against Petrie began late last year when Police Scotland initiated action against him. The force confirmed that the 50-year-old was officially arrested, charged with criminal offences, and suspended from active duty in December 2023. Following his suspension from the police service, Petrie subsequently retired from the force in December of that same year.

Following the conclusion of the court proceedings and the delivery of the guilty verdicts on all nine counts, Petrie was remanded in custody by the court. The former police officer is now being held behind bars while awaiting his formal sentencing hearing, which has been scheduled to take place at the High Court next month.

In the aftermath of the verdict, senior officers within Police Scotland issued statements acknowledging the outcome and praising the resilience of those who came forward. Detective Superintendent Adam Brown, representing Police Scotland’s public protection unit, commended the fortitude displayed by the victims throughout the investigation and legal process, emphasizing the immense personal bravery required to bring Petrie before the court.

Detective Superintendent Brown explicitly addressed the unique and intimidating challenges faced by individuals who seek to report serious sexual misconduct when the accused perpetrator is a sworn police officer. He noted that the inherent authority associated with law enforcement can make reporting such crimes an exceptionally difficult and frightening step for victims seeking protection and justice.

Aiming to provide assurance to the wider public, the senior detective stressed that Police Scotland remains committed to pursuing criminal allegations against officers irrespective of their rank or employment status. Brown stated that the police force will actively identify and thoroughly investigate any personnel who commit offences, whether they are actively serving or retired, and regardless of whether the crimes occurred on duty or off duty.

Brown reaffirmed that accountability would be enforced without exception, emphasizing that Petrie would now have to face the severe legal consequences of his actions following his conviction. The case underscores broader ongoing scrutiny regarding how police organizations manage and investigate sexual misconduct and violent offending linked to their own personnel.

The conviction of Campbell Petrie comes in the wake of other deeply troubling revelations concerning sexual violence linked to Police Scotland officers. Earlier this year, a major investigation broadcast by BBC Disclosure revealed that another officer within the force, PC Alan Greer, was a violent rapist who had carried out a series of attacks on women over a span of at least 14 years.

According to the findings from the BBC Disclosure investigation, PC Greer’s first known victim was a woman he attacked inside her own Glasgow home back in 2012. The victim had reached out to the police specifically to report that she had been subjected to a crime, only for the responding officer, Greer, to subsequently commit rape against her in her residence.

The inquiry into Greer’s actions uncovered extensive misconduct across his law enforcement career, including evidence that he regularly used hundreds of prostitutes while serving as an officer. Police Scotland ultimately identified 15 individual victims who had suffered abuse at Greer's hands, although investigators have expressed serious fears that the true number of victims remains significantly higher.

The revelations surrounding PC Greer also exposed severe deficiencies in internal police screening and recruitment procedures. It emerged that Greer had successfully passed the vetting checks necessary to join Police Scotland, despite having two prior reports of criminal behaviour committed against women already recorded on his background history prior to his acceptance into the force.

The criminal investigation into Greer’s offending ended abruptly in May, when the officer took his own life. His death occurred just days after police investigators executed a search raid on his home as part of the active inquiry into his repeated sexual assaults and violent offences against women throughout his policing tenure.

Together, the conviction of Petrie and the revelations surrounding Greer highlight significant challenges facing Police Scotland in confronting sexual abuse linked to its officers. As Petrie awaits his sentencing next month, the force continues to face public scrutiny regarding officer vetting, internal accountability, and the measures needed to ensure victims feel safe reporting crimes committed by members of law enforcement.