A London Police Officer Has Been Given A Life Sentence For The Death Of Sarah Everard

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This undated file photo issued by the Metropolitan Police shows Sarah Everard, who disappeared while walking home from visiting a friend in south London on March 3.





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An Officer Admits To Rape And Kidnapping Of Sarah Everard In A Case That Drew Outrage

Justice Adrian Fulford said the circumstances of the case are «devastating, tragic and wholly brutal. He said Couzens went «hunting a lone female to kidnap and rape, having planned the crime in «unspeakably grim detail.

Everard’s body was found in woodland in Ashford, Kent, about 60 miles (nearly 100 kilometers) southeast of London, a week after she went missing. Prosecutors said Couzens strangled her before setting fire to the body.

Couzens joined the Metropolitan Police in 2018 and had worked as part of a team protecting diplomatic locations in central London. He had worked an overnight shift at the U.S. Embassy on the day he kidnapped Everard.



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‘She Was Walking Home’: Sarah Everard Case Sparks Grief And Anger Across U.K.

The Metropolitan Police has said it was «sickened, angered and devastated by how one of its own was responsible for the crime.

In the aftermath of Everard’s killing, many questions were raised about trust in police and how police vet their officers. Some also criticized Scotland Yard for not doing enough to protect women and girls and tackle allegations of sexual violence.

After Couzens’ arrest, it emerged that he had been accused of indecent exposure at least twice years before he murdered Everard, and police is being investigated over whether the allegations were dealt with properly.