Two-year probe into cop accused of raping two women collapses in seconds after alleged victim admits she may have confused him with 'someone else'

A TWO-YEAR police probe into a cop accused of raping two women unravelled in seconds after one of the alleged victim's admitted she may have confused him with "someone else".

Sergeant Blair Pettigrew, 35, was due to stand trial at Edinburgh Crown Court accused of attacking two women in Glasgow and Ayrshire.

But a key accuser claimed she may have mixed him up with "someone else".

A source close to the case, which involved 30 officers quizzing more than 200 witnesses, said: "This is a major embarrassment for police."

Thousands of pounds were spent investigating Sergeant Pettigrew amid claims he raped two women — one while wearing his uniform — and indecently attacked another.

But after the message was sent to an officer on the inquiry suggesting a mix-up, all charges against the policeman were dropped.

A source close to the case — dubbed Operation Mapua — said: "This has been nothing short of a disaster. Heads may very well roll when the full details emerge."

Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr also branded the collapse an "extremely worrying revelation".

In the email, the woman tells police she thinks she may have confused her attacker with "someone else".

The 34-year-old, who can’t be named, admitted she only said what she believed the police "wanted to hear", adding: "I told you I didn’t know him."

Lord Advocate James Wolffe personally ruled there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

He intervened after concerns were apparently raised by Lady Scott at a High Court in Edinburgh hearing.

Dad-of-two Pettigrew was facing trial accused of raping two women and sexually assaulting another.

He was charged with indecently communicating with a fourth woman using a police radio.

He also allegedly accessed the Scottish Intelligence Database to gather information on women.

The indictment — which he earlier pleaded not guilty to — covered offences allegedly spanning 2005 to 2015 in Glasgow and Ayrshire.

A Crown Office spokesman said: "After full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances, including the admissible evidence currently available, Crown Counsel instructed there should be no further proceedings."

Police Scotland admitted it received correspondence from a witness in January raising “concerns” regarding the statement they provided during the probe.

A spokesman said: "As a result, officers independent of the original investigation re-interviewed the witness, who provided new information which was relevant to the case."

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No action is planned against the investigating team.

Ayrshire-based Pettigrew — initially on restricted duties — will now face an internal police inquiry and remains suspended on full pay.

Last night he declined to comment and lawyer Robert Vaughan was unavailable for comment.

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