POLICE have admitted the rape of a woman in an Orpington graveyard may have been prevented but for mistakes that led to her attacker's release.

James Steve Isted, of Tintagel Road, Orpington was found guilty of two counts of rape at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday (December 18).

Both offences took place in the grounds of All Saints Church, Bark Hart Road.

Isted was arrested in connection with the first offence in October 2011 and released on bail.

In August 2012, he was advised he was no longer on police bail due to a lack of evidence against him, but that the investigation was ongoing.

The 27-year-old then raped a second woman in May this year.

A police spokesman said: "The MPS acknowledges that in this case we made mistakes, and we have apologised to the victim of the second offence.

"Had certain actions been taken earlier, a second offence may have been prevented.

"We voluntarily referred the matter to the IPCC who took the decision to return it to the MPS to be looked at locally.

"That investigation, by officers from our directorate of professional standards, is ongoing and will continue now that the court case is complete."