The Police Ombudsman has criticised the PSNI for failing to properly investigate the alleged rape of a vulnerable woman with learning difficulties in the centre of Derry City.
The report from the Ombudsman highlighted a number of serious problems and failings in the way the case was handled by police and recommended disciplinary action against four officers.
The case dates back to June 2007 when a woman from Co Londonderry was visiting a flat in Derry.
The woman, who cannot be named, said she was attacked and raped at the flat.
It took the PSNI six months to interview her after she first reported the rape.
The police also failed to seize vital evidence.
Solicitor Hilary Carmichael, who represented the victim, told UTV: "While the police officers initially visited the location where it was believed the rape had taken place, they didn't seek to seize any potential CCTV footage.
"They also didn't undertake any house to house inquiries to seek any witnesses. My client believes she'd left personal belongings at the locus where she was raped but no attempt was made by the PSNI to follow this up."
The lawyer also said the woman had received text messages, demanding her to drop the rape allegation, but police failed to investigate these texts.
The Public Prosecution Service was unable to mount a case against the attacker.
"The most damning indictment is the fact that my client was not interviewed until six months after the rape had taken place and that, according to the Police Ombudsman, was an unacceptable period of time," Ms Carmichael said.
The Ombudsman's report concluded the investigation was "neither full nor proper... and didn't even meet the basic principles of investigation."
The victim's family, who complained to the Police Ombudsman, has received an apology from former Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde.
© UTV News