Met officer accused of sharing rape case footage is cleared of misconduct

"It was alleged he shared CCTV images of Natalie Shotter, who was orally raped and killed on a park bench in Southall, west London, in July 2021, and footage relating to an unidentified woman who was raped in an alleyway in December 2021. The court heard that police did not find the footage when they seized Aspinall Da Encarnacao's personal devices after his ex-girlfriend Maria Niebla claimed he had shared it with her."

"Images of three dead people acquired in the course of his work were found on his personal hard drive, the court heard. No action was taken in relation to this discovery and it did not form part of the two misconduct charges. Jurors heard Niebla met the officer in February 2021 on a dating app and she moved into the family home where he lived with his parents in July 2021."

"We are bitterly disappointed with the outcome. It was absolutely horrendous to have to relive what happened to Natalie over and over again throughout the court process. Yet again we find ourselves dealing with profound sadness."

PC Adam Aspinall Da Encarnacao, 33, a Metropolitan police officer attached to the Sapphire unit for rapes and serious sexual assaults, was cleared of two counts of misconduct in public office after a jury delivered a verdict in just under two hours. He had pleaded not guilty and had acted as a sexual offences investigation trained officer supporting rape victims. He was on suspension. Prosecutors alleged he shared CCTV images from two rape cases, including the fatal July 2021 assault on Natalie Shotter and footage of an unidentified December 2021 victim. Police did not find the footage when they seized his personal devices following a complaint from his ex-girlfriend Maria Niebla. Images of three dead people from his work were found on a personal hard drive but were not included in the misconduct charges. Niebla alleged controlling and abusive behaviour after their relationship ended; he denies those allegations and was not charged in relation to them. Natalie Shotter's mother said she was bitterly disappointed and forced to relive the trauma throughout the court process.

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