A police officer accused of sharing surveillance footage of two women being raped has been acquitted of misconduct in public office, according to the force.
Metropolitan police officer Adam Aspinall Da Encarnacao, 33, was alleged to have shared images from two separate rape investigations with a member of the public. He denied two counts of misconduct in a public office and was found not guilty following a trial at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, BBC News reports.
Officer cleared after trial at Southwark Crown Court
The case stemmed from allegations that PC Da Encarnacao, who serves with the Met’s West Area policing team, had improperly shared sensitive surveillance footage from two investigations.
One of the women in the footage was 37-year-old health worker Natalie Shotter, who was raped and killed on July 17, 2021, after a night out with friends in Southall, west London.
Adam Aspinall Da Encarnacao. Credit: LinkedIn.
During the trial of her attacker, Mohamed Iidow, jurors were shown surveillance footage of the assault. Iidow was convicted of rape and manslaughter and sentenced to prison in December 2024, as per the Crown Prosecution Service.
Allegations emerged after ex-girlfriend’s complaint
The misconduct allegations against PC Da Encarnacao surfaced after his former girlfriend, identified as Ms. Niebla, reported him to police, claiming he had been controlling and abusive during their relationship, which began in February 2021 and ended in July 2022.
She alleged that the officer showed her two videos linked to rape cases, prompting an internal investigation that led to his arrest and eventual charge in August 2023. PC Da Encarnacao denied the allegations, claiming that his ex-girlfriend fabricated the accusations following the end of their relationship, per the Daily Mail.
Suspension remains in place pending misconduct review
Following his arrest in 2022, PC Da Encarnacao was suspended from duty, a suspension that remains active, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.
Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.
In a statement, the force said: “PC Adam Aspinall Da Encarnacao, attached to the policing team in West Area, was found not guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, 20 October, of misconduct in public office.
“The alleged offences related to inappropriately possessing and sharing CCTV images of two separate rape offences with a member of the public. PC Da Encarnacao was acquitted following a trial.
“We note the outcome and are now considering next steps regarding misconduct proceedings.”
The officer’s future with the Met will be determined following an internal review.