By Lucy Caulkett-
Evil ex-cop, Wayne Couzens, has received a whole-life sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.
The former Metropolitan police officer abused his police powers and knowledge to lure the 33-year-old off a south London street on 3 March 2021.
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He subsequently burnt her body in an attempt to conceal his crimes, which the Everard family say robbed them of a chance to see their murdered loved one one last time and say a proper goodbye.
The murder is one of the most cruel in modern times to be committed by a serving policer, and is very damaging to public confidence in the police.
It is a relatively rare case of the height of human wickedeness in the police force, and has highlighted a whole history of police misconduct and criminal offences committed by police officers.
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Lord Justice Fulford handed down the whole-life tariff at the Old Bailey after a two-day sentencing hearing, which heard horrific details of Everard’s ordeal in her final hours.
Murder carries a mandatory life sentence, the only issue for the judge was whether he set a minimum term that Couzens would serve of 30 years, or a term meaning he could never be released.
The judge said the abuse of Couzens position was crucial for Couzens carrying out the kidnap, and that he would thus treat it as seriously as a murder carried out for a terrorist motive.
“I have not the slightest doubt that the defendant used his position as a police officer to coerce her on a wholly false pretext into the car he had hired for this purpose. It is most likely that he suggested to Sarah Everard that she had breached the restrictions on movement that were being enforced during that stage of the pandemic.
“Any explanation other than coercion fails to take into account her character and the evidence of the occupants of a passing vehicle who saw her being handcuffed.”
Fulford added: “Sarah Everard was a wholly blameless victim of a grotesquely executed series of offences that culminated in her death and the disposal of her body.”
The judge said Couzens spent a month travelling to London to research how best to commit his crimes, and bought items to use ahead of time.
Planning And Meditation
Passing the whole-life tariff, Fulford said: “There was significant planning and premeditation. The victim was abducted, there was the most serious sexual conduct, the defendant was responsible for significant mental and physical suffering which he inflicted on the victim before her death, and the defendant concealed and attempted to destroy Sarah Everard’s body.”
Couzens, wearing a navy-blue suit and face mask, appeared shaky as he stood to hear his sentence. As he listened, he stood with head bowed and eyes closed. At the conclusion of Fulford’s remarks, Couzens was taken down by two police officers, his head still bowed.
He pleaded guilty to his crimes at earlier hearings after being faced with overwhelming evidence of his guilt.
Couzens went to London in a hired car “hunting” for a woman to kidnap and rape and spotted Everard walking home. He staged a false arrest, most likely exploiting Covid lockdown restrictions in force at the time.
The monster used his police warrant card and handcuffs to get Everard into his car, and drove her to Kent before strangling her with his police belt and burning her body.
Couzens’ barrister said his client deserved a long sentence, but not a whole-life tariff, in part because he had pleaded guilty.
Jim Sturman QC said: “He deserves a very lengthy finite term, but he did all he could after he was arrested to minimise the wicked harm that he did.”
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