AN ALLEGATION made against a rapist, who found his victims on a dating app, was not forwarded to investigators reviewing four similar incidents.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation in April 2017 into how Hampshire Constabulary managed Sam Ashley, a registered sex offender, between June 2016 and December 2016.

During this period it emerged that Ashley had been accused of a series of sex offences against men across Hampshire and Dorset.

Ashley drugged and attacked men he met on dating app Grindr.

The 30-year-old, originally from Fareham, met the men before putting drugs, including GHB, diazepam and zopiclone in the victim's drinks and attacking them.

During his trial, Portsmouth Crown Court heard Ashley met three of the men on the app and one at a rugby club and on one occasion gave drugs to a victim by pretending they were paracetamol or ibuprofen.

On May, 10 2018, Ashley was convicted of four counts of rape, two attempted rapes and four charges of administering a substance with intent.

He was subsequently sentenced to 23 years in jail.

The watchdog's investigation lasted five months and concluded in September 2017.

It found that two Hampshire Constabulary staff should receive management action regarding their performance and offered learning recommendations on how sex offenders should be managed that have been accepted and acted upon by Hampshire Constabulary.

The recommendations include improved sharing and recording of information on internal logs and changes to how risk assessments are conducted.

IOPC Regional Director Sarah Green said: "Mr Ashley has been convicted of extremely serious offences and has been jailed for a significant length of time.

"It should be made clear that while our investigation did not reveal any behaviour by any Hampshire employees that could be considered misconduct, we did make some recommendations as to how the force could improve the way it manages people on the registered sex offenders list.

"I am pleased that Hampshire has moved quickly to accept and implement those recommendations."

Hampshire Constabulary said it accepted the recommendations made in the report.