Channel 4 reveals police failed to stop Leigh Park rapist despite warnings from own officer who was victim
A Channel 4 News investigation has revealed a serial rapist went on to attack multiple women after police ignored warnings from one of their own officers who had been one of his victims.
Bruno Sala, of Leigh Park, groomed his victims through online dating apps before raping them and inviting other men to attack the women. Sala, 39, was jailed for multiple counts of rape in November last year, with prosecutors saying the Portuguese national posed “a significant danger to society”.
Channel 4 News said Hampshire Constabulary missed earlier opportunities to stop Sala after Victoria Tomkins - a police officer of 16 years - reported being raped in January 2020.
Sala raped at least three other women following Ms Tomkins’ complaint. Survivors also say a number of Sala’s accomplices continue to walk the streets after raping them, alleging the existence of a larger sexual exploitation network across Hampshire.
Ms Tomkins, who has waived her right to anonymity, said Sala subjected her to extreme violence soon after they met on Tinder in early 2019, believing he had “the potential to kill”.
She told Channel 4 News: “I tried to get him off the streets, I knew how dangerous he was - I will never forgive the police.
“He always wanted other men involved in the relationship despite me not wanting that but you comply because if you don’t, you’re going to get raped and beaten.”
The mother-of-two went to Hampshire Constabulary in January 2020 to report rape and coercive control after an attack by Sala left her hospitalised.
Ms Tomkins added: “My world imploded, I thought, ‘I’m not being believed or listened to here’. If I could turn back time, I am not sure I would ever have reported it - it’s destroyed me and destroyed my family.
Talking of her own force’s failure to act sooner she said: “They failed every single one of us - to know these ladies have been damaged sits heavily on my shoulders.”
Senior detectives declined to pass the case to the Crown Prosecution Service, blaming insufficient evidence and writing to Ms Tomkins to say a “discrepancy” in her account raised the possibility that “you are lying”.
Sala met and raped his next victim just three months after Ms Tomkins’ report. Joanna, who also waived her right to anonymity, described extremely violent attacks by Sala and men he introduced her to.
She said: “This was actually meat for sale. Whenever I was saying, ‘no stop’, he [Sala] said: ‘Shut up b****, I am the boss’ - I was just surviving the pain..”
On learning that police had been told about Sala before she was attacked, Joanna said: “It would have saved me, saved me all the trauma that I need to live with, me and others - who knows how many more are out there”.
Sophie, not her real name, met Sala on the dating app Plenty of Fish in June 2020. Recalling one occasion that she woke to being raped by one of Sala’s friends, he told her: ‘He didn’t rape you - I gave him permission to f*** you’.
She has now fled her home in the fear of seeing the still free men she says raped her at Sala’s invitation.
Sala was only charged in 2022 after raping his fourth known victim. He was eventually charged and convicted of raping Ms Tomkins, Joanna and Sophie, and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 20 years. Channel 4 News understands he is appealing his conviction.
Edson Domingos - one of Sala’s accomplices - was jailed for 15 years for one count of rape after being found guilty of an attack on Sophie.
Hampshire Constabulary has so far not referred itself to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), following the serious concerns raised about its handling of Bruno Sala’s case.
Roger Wood, a Detective Chief Inspector who oversaw the rape unit and was behind the review into Ms Tomkins’ case which suggested she could be lying, has been barred from policing after being found guilty of gross misconduct in relation to sexual relationships with junior staff, Channel 4 said.
An investigation is also ongoing into the force’s professional standards department following the suspected suicides of two officers in the space of six months, both of whom were facing misconduct proceedings.
In response, a Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson told Channel 4 News that an internal review of its handling of the case had been launched and was ongoing.
Assistant Chief Constable Paul Bartolomeo said: “We recognise that our handling of aspects of this investigation caused additional distress and accept that it fell below the standards expected. We are deeply sorry for the harm experienced by those who suffered through the actions of Bruno Sala. It is a testament to the bravery of these women that Sala is now facing a lengthy prison sentence for the abhorrent abuse that was committed.
“Significant leadership changes have taken place, and we have made it unequivocally clear to our officers and staff that victim blaming language is not acceptable. Tackling violence against women and girls is a priority for the force and we are committed to identifying and relentlessly pursuing perpetrators.
“Following Sala’s conviction, we commissioned a review of the initial investigation and our internal response to identify any learning which will include the experiences of the women involved to ensure their voices are heard.
“We are also examining whether there are any further lines of inquiry which can be pursued and investigated. This includes whether any additional victims can be identified and supported so that we can secure justice for them.
‘Hampshire Police’s Serial Rape Scandal’ will air on Channel 4 from 7pm Wednesday 18 February.