Wayne Couzens
 Wayne Couzens  (policeman, rapist, convicted murderer) | |
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On 9 March 2021, Wayne Couzens was arrested in Deal, Kent, first on suspicion of Sarah Everard's kidnapping and later on suspicion of her murder. Everard's remains were discovered in woodland near Ashford, Kent on 10 March 2021; following their identification, Couzens was charged with her kidnap and murder.
Vigils were held for Sarah Everard on the evening of 13 March 2021. The largest vigil, on Clapham Common near where she had disappeared, led to a controversial police response and four arrests for breaches of COVID-19 regulations. The murder additionally sparked widespread debate about the role of police in British society and the status of women's safety in the UK.[1]
Police career
- 2005-2009: Works as special (volunteer) officer for Kent Police
- March 2011: Joins Civil Nuclear Constabulary serving at Sellafield, Cumbria and Dungeness, Kent
- June 2015: Alleged incident of indecent exposure in Dover, Kent
- September 2018: Joins Met Police
- February 2019: Joins response team in Bromley, south London
- February 2020: Joins Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command
- 28 February 2021: Two allegations of indecent exposure at a McDonald's in south London
- 3 March 2021: Abducts Sarah Everard in Clapham, south London
- 9 March 2021: Arrested on suspicion of Ms Everard's murder
- 10 March 2021: Ms Everard's body found in Kent
- 12 March 2021: Charged with Ms Everard's kidnap, rape and murder
- 9 July 2021: Pleads guilty to murder
- 30 September 2021: Sentenced to whole-life sentence Ms Everard's murder[2]
Trial
On 8 June 2021, Wayne Couzens pleaded guilty to Everard's kidnap and rape, and admitted responsibility for her death, and on 9 July 2021 he pleaded guilty to her murder. The full details of Couzens’ crimes were laid bare for the first time at a hearing to decide whether he should be sentenced to die in jail.
The prosecution said the crimes were so serious, involving the abuse of his position and trust as a police officer, they might merit him being sentenced to a whole-life tariff.
He was sentenced by Lord Justice Fulford to a whole life order on 30 September 2021.[3]
WhatsApp messages
Wayne Couzens was in a WhatsApp group where he shared misogynistic, racist and homophobic texts with fellow police officers, it has emerged.
The ‘vile’ messages were found on the murderer’s phone after he was arrested for the killing of Sarah Everard in March.
Other members of the group, including three serving Met Police officers, an officer from Norfolk constabulary and another from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), where Couzens previously worked, are being investigated.[4]
Related Document
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:Police Violence | Article | 1 October 2021 | Mike Small | The radical overhaul of how we view policing and law and order shouldn’t be contained within the prism of the appalling problem of male violence – but seen in the context of state violence, the repression of dissent and the growth of the surveillance state. |
