Former Police Scotland Officer Campbell Petrie Convicted of Multiple Rapes and Sexual Assaults Over 17-Year Period

A former Police Scotland officer has been found guilty of carrying out a sustained campaign of serious sexual violence, including multiple rapes, spanning nearly two decades. Campbell Petrie, 50, was convicted following proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow, where prosecutors detailed a series of grave offences committed between 2006 and 2023.

The jury found Petrie guilty of nine separate criminal charges that illustrated a 17-year history of abusive and predatory behaviour. The catalogue of crimes included two counts of rape, indecent assault, and assault with intent to rape. He was also convicted of assault to injury and danger of life, highlighting the severe physical threat posed to his victims throughout the extended period of offending.

Court proceedings confirmed that Petrie was an active, serving police officer throughout the entire timeline in which the offences were carried out. Following the delivery of the guilty verdicts, Petrie was remanded in custody by the court, where he will remain until he is formally sentenced next month.

The internal and legal timeline regarding Petrie’s status within the force was also detailed. Police Scotland confirmed that the former officer was formally arrested, charged, and suspended from active duty in December 2023. Despite the serious allegations and pending legal proceedings, Petrie remained with the organisation until his retirement from the force in December of last year.

In the wake of the conviction, senior figures within Police Scotland addressed the outcome of the trial and paid tribute to those who came forward. Detective Superintendent Adam Brown, representing the force’s public protection unit, expressed profound support for the survivors, emphasising that the thoughts of the police service remain firmly with the victims who endured Petrie’s actions.

Det Supt Brown explicitly praised the immense resilience demonstrated by the victims throughout the legal process. He noted that it requires extraordinary personal strength to report such traumatic violations and to pursue justice through the courts, particularly given the added complexities and intimidation factors involved when the perpetrator is an individual entrusted with upholding the law.

Addressing the broader societal barriers surrounding complaints against law enforcement personnel, Det Supt Brown acknowledged the profound difficulties victims encounter when attempting to report abusive behaviour by police officers. The imbalance of power and fear of institutional disbelief often pose substantial hurdles for individuals seeking protection or justice against serving members of the force.

To counter these concerns, the senior detective issued a public reassurance regarding the commitment of Police Scotland to root out criminal misconduct from within its ranks. He stressed that investigators are dedicated to identifying and prosecuting offending officers regardless of their professional status, making it clear that investigations will be pursued vigorously whether the accused individuals are currently serving or have already retired.

Furthermore, Det Supt Brown underlined that accountability applies equally across all contexts, stating that officers will face full scrutiny whether their criminal acts occurred while on duty or, as in Petrie’s case, during off-duty hours. He concluded that Petrie must now face the severe legal consequences of the destructive actions he carried out over the course of his 17-year offending history.

The conviction of Petrie arrives at a time when Police Scotland is facing heightened scrutiny over serious sexual misconduct and vetting standards within the organisation. Earlier this year, a BBC Disclosure investigation uncovered another deeply troubling case involving PC Alan Greer, a former officer who was exposed as a violent serial rapist responsible for carrying out widespread attacks on women over at least a 14-year span.

The revelations surrounding Greer highlighted alarming patterns of predatory behaviour, beginning with his first known victim, whom he raped in her Glasgow home in 2012 after she had contacted the police specifically to report being the victim of a crime. In addition to targeting vulnerable members of the public, the investigation revealed that Greer had engaged the services of hundreds of prostitutes throughout his policing career.

Although Police Scotland has formally identified 15 women victimised by Greer, investigators and monitoring bodies harbour deep concerns that the actual total of his victims may be substantially higher. The revelations pointed to systemic vulnerabilities in oversight, as Greer had successfully passed the necessary vetting procedures to join the police service despite already having two prior reports of criminal behaviour against women documented on his record.

Greer was never brought to trial for his extensive offences, as he took his own life in May. His death occurred only days after police conducted a search operation at his property as part of an active criminal investigation into his catalogue of violent sex crimes.

The conviction of Petrie, alongside the troubling details emerging from the Greer case, underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement agencies face in identifying predatory individuals within their own ranks. The cases highlight the essential need for rigorous vetting, robust internal reporting mechanisms, and an uncompromising commitment to supporting survivors who come forward with allegations against officers.

With Petrie now awaiting sentencing behind bars, the High Court in Glasgow is scheduled to determine the full extent of his custodial punishment next month, marking the conclusion of a major criminal prosecution against a long-serving officer whose abusive behaviour was concealed for nearly two decades.