Locations
Southern Way in Farnborough, GU14
Description
Derek Winston Seekings, 66, of Southern Way in Farnborough, retired from the force in 2005 and was charged with the offences in July 2019.
On Wednesday (January 13), Judge Stephen Mooney passed sentence for one count of rape, half of which is to be served behind bars; Seekings can then be released on licence where he will be liable to recall.
Judge Mooney issued the predator with a nine-year prison sentence for the other count of rape, which will run concurrently to the first. Seekings will also be on the sex offenders register for life.
Both attacks took place between 1994 and 2000 in Surrey against a woman who cannot be named for legal reasons.
One of the attacks took place during the officer's meal break while he was on duty, with the other taking place off duty. He was found guilty of his crimes on Friday (January 8) following a four-day trial.
Surrey Police has revealed that Seekings, who retired as a sergeant after 32 years’ service, was originally charged with seven offences of rape but his indictment was subsequently amended to two counts.
Speaking at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday, prosecutor Jennifer Gray read aloud a statement from the victim. The court heard how Seekings' not guilty plea caused her "panic attacks" and "many dark moments".
Reading the statement on behalf of the victim, Ms Gray said: "Every contact regarding the trial heightened my anxiety. At times I thought I was suffering a cardiac event and thought I would not be able to continue."
Court had previously heard Ms Gray explain how Seekings committed one of the offences while on duty. She said: "She made it very clear to him she didn’t want to have sex with him, he carried on regardless and he raped her."
Following this, Seekings returned to work. The jury was also told the disgraced ex-sergeant was suspended from duty for a number of months and demoted to PC in the late 1990s following a car accident which led to a driving conviction.
Passing sentence, Judge Mooney said he would be treating the defendant's role in the police force as an aggravating factor and said his actions were a breach of the public's trust in him.
In his final remarks, Judge Mooney also noted the victim has suffered "severe psychological harm" as a result of the attacks.
Seekings was still in the dock when the sentence was delivered, before he was led down to the cells below.