Rapist police officer held details of 750 women on his phone, court hears

A “Jekyll and Hyde” former Metropolitan police officer who raped a 16-year-old girl and a female colleague hoarded the details of more than 700 women on his phone, a court has heard. In June, Adam Provan, 44, of Newmarket, Suffolk, was found guilty of raping a fellow police officer six times between 2003 and 2005, and twice raping a teenager whom he met on a blind date after lying about his age in 2010.

All the offences were committed while he was a serving officer in the Met’s east area command unit.

Provan had initially been convicted of raping the 16-year-old after a retrial in 2018 and jailed for nine years. He was sacked from the Met the following year. He served three years and three months in prison before he successfully appealed against his conviction and his case was sent for a third trial.

At that trial in May, six new counts of rape were added, relating to earlier offences.

On Monday, Provan’s wider history of predatory behaviour was laid bare at Wood Green crown court in north London on the first day of his two-day sentencing. The prosecutor, Anthony Metzer KC, said Provan had abused his position as an officer to gain young women’s trust and had “aspects of a Jekyll and Hyde character”.

He said Provan had an “extended history of allegations” of sexual misconduct dating back to the 1990s, including “stalkerish behaviour” and culminating in the rapes of the 16-year-old girl.

The defendant had 751 female contacts in his mobile phone, indicating a “fascination bordering on the obsessive” with young women, Judge Lucas said.

Metzer said the details on Provan’s phone “strongly suggested” there was sexual activity with the women, many of whom were young.

In 2005 another female police officer had reported receiving “nuisance” messages from Provan, but the complaint was dealt with “informally” and not taken further.

Provan, who watched teenage pornography online, had also allegedly contacted another 16-year-old girl after she gave her details as a witness.

Julia Smart KC, defending, said Provan disputed all the allegations.

Speaking in court from behind a screen, the teenage victim, who is now in her 20s, said: “The day I met Adam Provan changed my life for ever. No prison sentence will take away the harm Adam Provan has caused me. No amount of justice will make me forget the date from hell.

“Even though I tried my best to block it out I will never forget how scared I was when the assault took place, and 13 years later reliving my worst nightmare.”

She said it was “sickening” to be told Provan really was a police officer as he had claimed when they first met.

Giving evidence over three trials was traumatic and she felt personally attacked, she said.

The other victim, who is still a serving officer, said she lived in constant fear Provan would kill her and that he saw himself as “untouchable”.

The officer told the court she felt the police had not dealt with Provan and failed to protect her.

She added: “I feel guilty for people after me who came in contact with Adam, and if they suffered abuse, this has preyed on my mind.”

The sentencing hearing is expected to conclude on Tuesday.