Scottish police officer raped women for 14 years, investigation reveals

The first known attack

In 2012 a woman in Glasgow called the police to report a crime. Two uniformed officers took her statement at her home and left. Hours later one of them, PC Alan Greer, returned and raped her. The victim did not know his identity at the time. She carried the trauma for 13 years before walking into a Glasgow police station in late 2025 to report the sexual assault.

Investigation and pattern of abuse

Her complaint triggered one of the largest anti-corruption inquiries Police Scotland has ever mounted. Detectives traced the 2012 call and identified the officers who attended. They discovered that in the weeks after the rape Greer had repeatedly accessed the woman's criminal record on the police computer system, even while on holiday, apparently checking whether she had reported him. Investigators then cross-referenced his mobile number and found a 2018 report from a sex worker who had flagged a violent client; the number had not been linked to Greer at the time.

Evidence seized and suicide

On 24 April 2026 officers from the anti-corruption unit searched Greer's home in the Wishaw area. They seized a laptop and seven mobile phones containing thousands of explicit photos and videos. The material showed that Greer had used the services of hundreds of sex workers throughout his police career. He was arrested that day but released without charge pending further investigation and suspended from duty. On 6 May, after a second police visit accompanied by a social worker, Greer was found dead at the same property. Police Scotland confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances and the BBC reported he took his own life.

Scale of offending and police response

Detectives have so far identified eight further victims beyond the first, five of whom were sex workers attacked while Greer was off duty. The total number of known victims stands at nine, but investigators believe it will rise as thousands of images are still being processed. Assistant Chief Constable Lynn Ratcliff, the gold commander for the inquiry, described the findings as "truly shocking".

This officer has clearly abused his power and has revisited someone that he's encountered in the course of his duties. But this victim was brave enough to come and speak to us, and that really was the trigger point for us starting our investigation. That's allowed us to proactively identify eight further victims.

A source close to the investigation told the BBC the case felt like a "Wayne Couzens moment" for Police Scotland, referring to the 2021 murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police officer.

Appeal for more victims

Greer cannot stand trial, but the investigation continues. Police Scotland is urging anyone who believes they were attacked by him to come forward. Ratcliff said the force was committed to identifying and supporting as many victims as possible. The anti-corruption unit has described the inquiry as one of the largest and most complex it has ever undertaken.