By Gabriel Princewill-
A new documentary set to air on BBC One this week will delve into the chilling story of Sarah Everard and how it emerged that the man responsible for her brutal murder was a serving police officer.
The documentary, which has been over two years in the making, is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday evening on BBC One, marking the third anniversary of Sarah Everard’s tragic death.
It addresses the broader issue of violence against women.
Entitled “Sarah Everard: The Search For Justice,” the film explores the aftermath of the 33-year-old London marketing executive’s murder and the circumstances surrounding this devastating crime.
It reveals the shock of officers in discovering that a highly ranked colleague of theirs was responsible for what would later be known as one of the most heinous and atrocious crimes in British criminal history.
The detective recounted how officers had traced a name linked to a car seen in CCTV footage; one that also featured a man standing next to the soon to be murdered young woman we would later learn to be Sarah Everard.
Det Ch Insp Goodwin told the BBC documentary: “I knew that I had to tell my boss and I can just remember the shock of having to just sit on the floor of the office and say to her, ‘You’re not going to believe this, that he’s a police officer’.
“And then the same questions went through her head as went through my head: ‘Are you sure?’
Former Met detective Nick Harvey revealed that he was on his way to question Couzens at his house when he discovered the suspect was a police officer.
The gripping footage then shows Couzens being arrested on suspicion of kidnap in his living room, and Mr Harvey questioning him.
Gang
When asked about Ms Everard’s disappearance, Couzens claims to have financial problems, and says he had been threatened by a gang and told to kidnap girls on their behalf.
Knocking on Couzens’ front door and showing his warrant card, Mr Harvey said the killer “just went grey”.
“Just… all the colour just ran out of his face,” he said.
He said: “The gravity of the whole situation then became incredibly clear. You know, the moment I told the team, it just went silent.
“At some point you’re gonna end up looking Sarah’s family in the eyes,” Mr Harvey can be heard telling the murderer cop- a serial sex offender who had abused his position as a police officer and proceeded to rape and murder Sarah Everard.
“Your family are going to be there,” Mr Harvey tells him. “You’ve got an opportunity here right now to help us find Sarah and bring her back home to her family.
Flash
Cringingly, CCTV showed the sex offender flashing his penis inside a McDonald’s in Clapham just hours before he kidnapped and murdered the marketing executive on March 3, 2021.
Mr Harvey said ‘Initially I had tasked my team with a series of research to make sure we could actually locate him. DCI Goodwin was conducting her own research separately.
‘I arrived in Deal to brief my team around what we were doing and how we were going to go about it and as I pulled up as no sooner as I had turned up and literally turned off the engine of my car did DCI Goodwin ring me and break the news to me.’
Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, speaking on camera for the first time in the documentary, recounted the shock and disbelief among investigators upon discovering Couzens’ identity.
Goodwin revealed how the investigation took a dramatic turn after discovering Couzens’ suspected involvement in an indecent exposure offence days earlier in Kent.
‘I found out Couzens was a police officer a couple of minutes before we knocked on the door,’ he said.
‘Initially I had tasked my team with a series of research to make sure we could actually locate him. DCI Goodwin was conducting her own research separately.
‘I arrived in Deal to brief my team around what we were doing and how we were going to go about it and as I pulled up as no sooner as I had turned up and literally turned off the engine of my car did DCI Goodwin ring me and break the news to me.’
He said he felt ‘awful’ and ‘the pit of my stomach just sort of fell out’, as the gravity of the situation began to dawn on him.
‘It was immediately and abundantly clear how much this was going to change policing and what a huge moment in history it was going to be,’ Mr Harvey added
Had it not been for a passer by who saw Couzens handcuffing Ms Everard at the side of the road and placing her into a car, it may never have come to light how she got into that car, the detective states.
Murdered: Sarah Everard was killed by depraved former cop Wayne Couzens
An inquiry last week chaired by Lady Elish Angiolini said Couzens should never have been given his job and that chances to stop the sexual predator were repeatedly ignored and missed.
She said evidence of his preference for violent and extreme pornography and history of alleged sexual offending dates back nearly 20 years prior to Sarah’s murder, adding that: ”the police officers who responded to those victims were not adequately trained, equipped or motivated to investigate the allegations properly.
The production team behind the BBC documentary collaborated closely with Ms. Everard’s parents, who expressed hope that the film would draw attention to crucial issues surrounding women’s safety and the abuse of power by figures in authority.
Emma Loach, the BBC’s lead commissioning editor for documentaries, underscored the significance of the film, noting how Sarah Everard’s murder sparked nationwide disbelief and ignited urgent conversations about police failings and violence against women and girls.
Loach emphasized the documentary’s timeliness and importance in contributing to ongoing discussions on these critical issues.
Sarah Everard’s tragic fate unfolded on March 3, 2021, when she was kidnapped and murdered by Wayne Couzens, a former Metropolitan Police officer, as she walked home alone through Clapham in southwest London.
Couzens, who was later convicted of a series of earlier offences including indecent exposure, triggered a wave of grief and outrage, prompting widespread demonstrations over concerns for women’s safety.
This revelation, coupled with the realization that Couzens was a serving Metropolitan Police officer, stunned the investigative team and underscored the gravity of the situation.
Despite the challenges and complexities surrounding the case, the documentary depicts the unwavering commitment of law enforcement officials to uncover the truth and seek justice for Sarah Everard and her loved ones.
“Sarah Everard: The Search For Justice” is a testament to the enduring legacy of Sarah Everard and the quest for accountability in the police force, and change in addressing the pervasive issue of violence against women.