Lawyer who led Sarah Everard inquiry bid to develop into Oxford’s chancellor
The lawyer who led the Sarah Everard inquiry is making a bid to become Oxford University‘s first female chancellor.
Lady Elish Angiolini is a Scottish lawyer who led the inquiry into the rape, abduction and murder of Sarah by police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021.
She confirmed her candidacy for the role at the prestigious university that has never been held by a woman in its 800-year history.
It is currently held by Lord Patten of Barnes who will retire this year, and Lady Angiolini is the only prominent female candidate in the race.
Lady Elish Angiolini (pictured) is the the Scottish lawyer who led the inquiry into the rape, abduction and murder of Sarah Everard by police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021
Three years after Couzens was sentenced to die in prison for killing 33-year-old Sarah (pictured), an independent inquiry led by Lady Angiolini revealed the scandal was even more damning than previously thought
Lady Angiolini is making a bid to become Oxford University’s first female chancellor
According to The Telegraph, she will battle it out with Lord Hague, the former Conservative leader who has also submitted a bid.
Lady Angiolini is a Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford and has served as the Principal of St. Hugh’s College, Oxford since 2012.
She also became the first woman to be appointed as Scotland’s solicitor general in 2001 and went on to become the first woman to serve as lord advocate five years later, which is similar to the role of attorney general in England.
As Lord Advocate, Lady Angiolini targeted improvements to Scotland’s youth courts, the domestic violence court in Glasgow, and the drugs courts.
She has worked on several high-profile investigations since leaving the post – including a probe into the disposal of baby ashes at Mortonhall Crematorium after it emerged at least 250 infants cremated there with unrelated adults were buried in secret.
She will battle it out with Lord Hague, the former Conservative leader who also submitted a bid
Others who are expected to throw their hats in the ring include Labour peer Lord Mandelson, who was a minister under Sir Tony Blair
Following the 2013 scandal, she conducted an investigation into all crematoria across Scotland. While in 2015, she chaired a review of how the Crown Prosecution Service and Metropolitan Police service investigate and prosecute rape cases in the capital.
Three years after Couzens was sentenced to die in prison for killing 33-year-old Sarah, an independent inquiry led by Lady Angiolini revealed the scandal was even more damning than previously thought.
Her report found Couzens should never have been allowed a job as a police officer in the first place.
Disturbingly, three forces – the Met Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and Kent Police – missed countless warning signs about his unsuitability for uniform.
Lady Angiolini is a Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford and has served as the Principal of St. Hugh’s College, Oxford since 2012
Her report found Couzens (pictured) should never have been allowed a job as a police officer
She was inspired to enter law as a teenager after giving evidence in a burglary trial, and is the only frontrunner not to have studied politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) at Oxford.
Instead she did a law degree at the University of Strathclyde.
Others who are expected to throw their hats in the ring are Labour peer Lord Mandelson, who was a minister under Sir Tony Blair, and Imran Khan, former Pakistani prime minister and cricket star.
Later in the year, more than 250,000 Oxford alumni will vote in an online ballot.
The successful candidate will serve a 10-year term supporting Professor Irene Tracey, the vice-chancellor.
