Police Officer Wayne Couzens 'Used Knowledge of Covid Regulations' to Abduct and Kill Sarah Everard

Former Metropolitan Police Officer PC Wayne Couzens will be sentenced this week for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard. Sarah, a 33-year-old marketing executive, working went missing on 3 March as she walked home after leaving a friend's house in south London.

Wayne Couzens "used his knowledge of Covid regulations" in order to abduct Sarah Everard in London and then drove her to Kent, raped and murdered her and burnt her body.

Prosecutor Tom Little QC told the Old Bailey Couzens went out on the night of 3 March with a plan to hunt for a lone woman that he could kidnap and rape. He drove through Kensington and Earl's Court in central London and then towards Lavender Hill before eventually coming across Sarah in Clapham.

Couzens has admitted abducting, raping and murdering Sarah Everard, whose body was found in woodland in Kent a few days after she went missing. He faces a mandatory life sentence.

Mr Little said a post mortem suggested she had been strangled, possibly with Couzens' police-issue belt.

On the night of Sarah's disappearance, she vanished as she walked home across Clapham Common, after leaving her friend's Battersea home.

Mr Little told the court Sarah walked to her friend's home and shared a bottle of wine, which was technically in breach of the lockdown regulations. He said this fact may have made her more vulnerable to submitting to a police officer using a bogus Covid breach as a ruse to kidnap her.

A missing sign outside Poynders Court on the A205 in Clapham, London Wednesday March 10, 2021 during the continuing search for Sarah Everard who has been missing for a week

© AP Photo / Victoria Jones

Mr Little said one of Sarah’s former boyfriends described her as “extremely intelligent, savvy and streetwise and not gullible” and he did not believe she would get into a stranger’s car unless it was by force. Mr Little said that was exactly how Couzens had abducted her.

The prosecutor said Couzens had served on a number of Covid-19 patrols in January 2021 during the lockdown and he said: "He was aware of the regulations and he was to use that knowledge to kidnap Sarah Everard."

As sentencing in Sarah Everard’s case commences today it is important we support survivors who may be deeply affected by new details coming to light. Please reach out to support networks, friends and family - and hold Sarah’s loved ones in your thoughts at this terrible time.

— Victims’ Commissioner London (@LDNVictimsComm) September 29, 2021

Mr Little said that when Couzens was arrested on 9 March he initially denied ever meeting Sarah but he then said he was in "financial s***" and had been leant on by a gang who wanted him to "find girls" for them. He said he refused at first but agreed when they threatened his family.

The Everard case triggered protests by women against male violence and the Met’s Commissioner, Cressida Dick, was urged to resign after her officers suppressed a vigil in Clapham for breaking COVID-19 rules against public gatherings.

Earlier this week another man was charged with the murder of Sabina Nessa, a 28-year-old teacher who was killed only a few miles from where Sarah died, after talking a shortcut through a park after dark.

Sarah Everard

© Photo : Metropolitan Police

Mr Little said the Sarah Everard case became the subject of significant discussion on social media and the rallying cry had been: "She had just been walking home".

He said those five words summed up the case for many but he said it was impossible to sum up the case in five words but added: “If it had to be done then it would be appropriate to do so as deception, kidnap, rape, strangulation, fire."

Mr Little said Couzens drove the hire car back to Dover and left it there, transferring Sarah Everard into his own Seat car before driving it to Hoad's Wood, near Ashford.

Sarah's mobile phone was thrown into a canal in Sandwich, Kent, a few hours after she was killed and her EE sim card was found in Couzens’ car.

The Met Police officer who kidnapped and murdered Sarah Everard used Covid-19 laws to carry out a bogus arrest of the 33yo, the Old Bailey has heard.

He was carrying an array of police equipment and posing as an undercover cop when he handcuffed and captured her.

— Tristan Kirk (@kirkkorner) September 29, 2021

Couzens, who was married and had two children, lived in Deal, Kent.

Couzens, who had joined the Metropolitan Police in September 2018, moved to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command in February 2020.

Mr Little said that on 2/3 March Couzens worked a night shift guarding the US Embassy and then returned home. He was then due to have five rest days but he lied to his wife and told her he was doing another night shift, working overtime.

This court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook shows serving police constable Wayne Couzens, center appearing in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court, in London, Saturday, March 13, 2021

© AP Photo / Elizabeth Cook

He said Couzens drove to Dover and picked up a hire car - a white Vauxhall Crossland - which he was to drive to London and use to abduct Sarah.

An eyewitness driving down Poynders Road said he saw a man handcuffing a woman.

Mr Little said: "She assumed the man was an undercover police officer and she assumed the woman had 'done something wrong'. They were witnessing Sarah's kidnap."

He said with her hands cuffed behind her back she would have been powerless to undo her seatbelt or struggle as he drove her 80 miles to Kent. Mr Little said at some point she would have "realised her fate".

When Wayne Couzens pleaded guilty in the summer his barrister told the court he was remorseful. Old Bailey has been told he has not given police an explanation of events

— Fiona Hamilton (@Fhamiltontimes) September 29, 2021

Her boyfriend told the police he spoke to Sarah on her mobile as she walked home. He said she was "in good spirits" and was not intoxicated. He became concern when she did not contact him or answer her phone the following morning and he reported her missing to the police.

Mr Little said prior to Sarah's death Couzens set up a profile on the dating website Match, using the middle name Anthony and claiming to be "separated" and having no children. He also used the website AdultWork to contact prostitutes.

The Metropolitan Police released a statement on Wednesday, 29 September in which they said of Couzens: “We are sickened, angered and devastated by this man’s crimes which betray everything we stand for.”

They added: “Our thoughts are with Sarah’s family and her many friends. It is not possible for us to imagine what they are going through. We recognise his actions raise many questions and concerns but we will not be commenting further until the hearing is complete.”