©James Eades via Unsplash
A Scottish police officer who took his own life in May has been revealed, according to a BBC investigation, to have been a violent serial rapist for years, sexually assaulting women for at least fourteen years and, in some cases, attempting to kill them.
The first known case dates back to 2012. At that time, police officer Alan Greer, responding to an emergency call from a woman in Glasgow, drove back to her home and forced her to engage in sexual contact before raping her. The woman did not report the attack until late last year, which marked the start of one of the largest anti-corruption investigations ever conducted by Police Scotland. So far, investigators have identified nine victims, including five sex workers whom Greer allegedly assaulted while off duty. According to the BBC, he also exploited hundreds of sex workers during his career, and police have not ruled out the possibility that more victims will come forward.
Double life
Assistant Chief Constable Lynn Ratcliff called the findings “downright shocking” and emphasized that Greer clearly abused his position. She stated that the breakthrough was made possible because the first victim eventually spoke with the police, allowing the case to be systematically investigated. Greer had been with the police since 2009, first with Strathclyde Police and later with Police Scotland, and had also been providing security training to officers since around 2016. Outside of work, he appeared to have an impeccable career, but according to investigators, his family was completely unaware of his “violent double life.”
Following a raid on his home on April 24, seven cell phones and a laptop were seized. On his devices, officers found thousands of photos and videos indicating a much broader range of sexual offenses than initially thought. The police are asking anyone who may have been a victim to come forward.
©James Eades via Unsplash - Illustrative image: the perpetrator is not shown in this photo.