A police officer who raped a woman on their first date after telling her “I haven’t finished with you” has been jailed for 14 years. Michael Derbyshire also attacked another woman he met on a dating website – and was described after sentencing as “abhorrent” by Deputy Chief Constable Alex Murray, of West Mercia Police, for whom he works.
Darbyshire, 57, groped the first woman in the beer garden of the White Hart pub in Fernhill Heath, Worcestershire, in November 2018, Worcester Crown Court was told.
The pair had been introduced by a mutual friend who worked for the police a few days earlier.
In her police statement, she said: “All of a sudden his mouth went straight over mine. I could feel his teeth and tongue at the back.
“It was forceful. He put his hands down my trousers. I was shocked.
“He wouldn’t listen, I kept saying no, I felt trapped.”
She continued: “I didn’t want to die, didn’t want him to threaten me. I make excuses for people (after drinking), I kept thinking ‘that can’t be him, he is a police officer’.”
Darbyshire then drove the woman home while drunk, where the victim let him in but told him “nothing was going to happen”.
When she got up, she realised Darbyshire had blocked her car in with his own.
The woman added: “I panicked then, I thought he knows what he is doing. I felt trapped.
“He went ‘come on I haven’t finished with you’.”
She said Darbyshire then “forcefully” raped her on the bed leaving her feeling like she “had been cut inside”.
Darbyshire attacked another woman on August 29, 2019, after he met a woman on dating site Match.com.
Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said Darbyshire subjected the woman to humiliating abuse while sexually assaulting her.
He said: “It was all about control, power and satisfying his own sexual cravings and demands.”
A previous trial in March 2021 resulted in a hung jury but following a retrial he was found guilty of rape and five counts of sexual assault.
Speaking after Darbyshire was jailed for 14 years on Friday, Deputy Chief Constable Alex Murray, of West Mercia Police, said: “The crimes committed by Michael Darbyshire were abhorrent.
“The victims in this case showed great bravery and courage in coming forward and supporting our investigation.
“They have been incredibly patient through the process, and I would like to thank them for helping ensure a dangerous individual will now face the consequences of his crimes.”
An accelerated misconduct process will now take place to kick Darbyshire out of the force.
