Killer cop Wayne Couzens’ horrific historical past of sexual offences revealed

Wayne Couzens’ horrific historical past of sexual offending has been revealed – prompting questions on how Sarah Everard’s assassin was ever allowed to hitch the police.

The killer cop is accused of kidnapping a lady at knifepoint in 1995, sexually assaulting a younger woman and raping two girls in assaults greater than 10 years aside.

Repeated alternatives have been missed to cease Couzens that left him capable of keep a cop regardless of being a serial intercourse offender with a repute for disturbing sexual behaviour that led to a nickname of ‘the Rapist’. 

An inquiry has discovered Couzens’ historical past of alleged sexual offending dated again almost 20 years earlier than he kidnapped, raped and murdered advertising and marketing govt Ms Everard in Clapham, south London, in 2021.

The married father of two – who first joined Kent Police in 2006 – was reported to officers eight instances for indecent publicity between 2008 and 2021 however continued within the service because of ‘torpid and insufficient’ investigations, right now’s report discovered.

Inquiry chair Lady Elish Angiolini recognized at the least 5 incidents which weren’t reported to police and warned there may very well be extra victims. 

Both Kent and the Metropolitan Police have been criticised for insufficient investigations into claims of indecent publicity towards Couzens. 

He had an extended historical past of alleged sexual offending earlier than he kidnapped, raped and murdered Ms Everard in March 2021.

His alleged offences embrace eight reviews of indecent publicity handed to police.

Today it additionally emerged for the primary time Couzens, now 51, allegedly carried out a ‘very critical sexual assault of a kid barely into her teenagers’ whereas he was in his twenties. 

Couzens was accused of making an attempt to kidnap a lady at knifepoint in North London in 1995 whereas aged 23.

He was additionally accused of raping two girls and indecently touching a person in a bar whereas sporting a blonde wig. 

He can also be mentioned to have raped a lady throughout a singles evening in east London between late 2006 and early 2007 and likewise raped one other lady underneath a bridge within the capital in October 2019.

Lady Elish discovered the married father of two ‘might and may’ have stopped from getting a job as an officer, and that with out a radical overhaul of British policing, there may be ‘nothing to cease one other Couzens working in plain sight’. 

The inquiry group discovered that there have been situations the place he confirmed excessive violent pornography to associates and police colleagues, in a transfer to check their boundaries, and despatched unsolicited pictures of his genitals to girls. 

There was a sequence of incidents the place he was accused of flashing – three of which he was sentenced for final 12 months, regardless of already having acquired a complete life jail time period for Sarah Everard’s homicide.

These have been masturbating in entrance of a lone feminine bike owner in a Kent nation lane in 2020, and twice exposing his genitals to workers at a quick meals restaurant in February 2021 within the days earlier than Sarah’s homicide.

He drove his personal automobile and used his personal bank card on the outlet however no motion was taken on the time, with investigating officer Pc Samantha Lee later sacked for failing to research correctly.

Another two related incidents on the quick meals restaurant have been ordered to lie on file, and there have been two incidents in 2008 and 2021 that have been reported to the Met and Kent respectively on the time when Couzens allegedly uncovered himself, however there was inadequate proof to deliver fees.

In 2015, a member of the general public reported having seen a person driving round in Kent together with his genitalia uncovered, giving the make, mannequin, color and registration variety of the automobile.

Couzens was recognized because the keeper of the automobile however Kent Police closed the investigation with no additional motion and with out even chatting with him.

Lady Elish Angiolini mentioned: ‘This was a grave error and a really apparent crimson flag.

‘By failing to correctly examine the allegation, Kent Police missed a beneficial alternative to disrupt and even forestall Couzens’ future offending and to deliver into query his place as an authorised firearms officer with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.’

Kent Police apologised right now for what it admitted was a ‘flawed’ investigation. 

An extra incident the place Couzens was allegedly seen masturbating with intent to shock a passerby in 2004 was reported to the Met after Sarah’s homicide, however there was not sufficient proof to deliver a cost.

Lady Elish mentioned she was ‘astonished’ to study that Couzens would have handed vetting for the Metropolitan Police even when the pressure had recognized a few earlier accusation of indecent publicity. 

She known as for indecent publicity to be taken extra significantly and victims inspired to report crimes.

‘The inquiry was struck by the similarities in method between the investigations in relation to the June 2015 allegation and the 2021 drive-through restaurant offences.

‘Both appeared destined to fail from the beginning, involving poor recording and decision-making and missing the optimistic steps that would probably have led to the identification of the suspect and detection of the crime.

‘Rather than embarking on a technique of detailed, thorough and time-consuming proof gathering, the officers displayed apathy and disinterest and located causes to not pursue the instances.’

Lady Elish has known as for a right away assessment of indecent publicity allegations towards serving cops.

Setting out a raft of suggestions to ‘make certain one thing like this may by no means occur once more’, Lady Elish mentioned: ‘Wayne Couzens ought to by no means have been a police officer. And, with out a important overhaul, there may be nothing to cease one other Couzens working in plain sight. Now is the time for change.’

She urged ‘all these in authority in each police pressure within the nation’ to learn the report and ‘take fast motion’.

Among the measures, Lady Elish known as for an pressing assessment of indecent publicity fees towards serving officers and mentioned reviews of the crime should be taken significantly.

The inquiry chair continued: ‘Although Wayne Couzens was not wholly a product of his working environments, these environments did nothing to discourage his misogynistic view of girls and meant that offering he offered himself as skilled his deviant behaviour exterior of labor might flourish.

‘Police leaders have to radically rework their method to police tradition if future offenders like Couzens are to be denied alternatives to abuse police powers for sexual goal.’

She went on: ‘Failures of investigations, failures of HR processes, and failures of vetting coverage and follow are a depressingly acquainted chorus in policing, Now is the time for change.

‘Without a big overhaul, there may be nothing to cease one other Wayne Couzens working in plain sight.’

Miss Everard’s mom Sue, father Jeremy, sister Katie and brother James mentioned in an announcement: ‘It is apparent that Wayne Couzens ought to by no means have been a police officer. Whilst holding a place of belief, in relative he was a serial intercourse offender.

‘Warning indicators have been neglected all through his profession and alternatives to confront him have been missed.

‘We imagine that Sarah died as a result of he was a police officer – she would by no means have gotten right into a stranger’s automobile.’

Couzens – who won’t ever be launched from jail – used his standing as a police officer to trick Miss Everard into considering he might arrest her for breaking lockdown guidelines in place in the course of the coronavirus pandemic.

After the horrific killing, it emerged there had been considerations about Couzens’s behaviour whereas he was a police officer, with reviews he was nicknamed ‘the rapist’. 

He joined Kent Police as a particular constable in 2002, turned an officer with the civil nuclear constabulary in 2011 after which moved to the Met in 2018.

Couzens indecently uncovered himself thrice earlier than the homicide, together with twice at a drive-through fast-food restaurant in Kent within the days previous to the killing.

He was not caught regardless of driving his personal automobile and utilizing his personal bank card on the time.

Met police constable Samantha Lee was sacked and barred from being a police officer after it was discovered she had not correctly investigated the incidents.

Couzens was additionally later revealed to have been a part of a WhatsApp group with fellow officers that shared disturbing racist, homophobic and misogynist remarks.

Ordered by then dwelling secretary Priti Patel, the inquiry tasked with how Couzens got here to be a police officer and was capable of perform the homicide has to date price £2.9 million, in response to figures to September final 12 months.

The first section of the inquiry thought-about proof overlaying a 20-year interval, reviewing greater than 100,000 pages of paperwork and finishing up 144 interviews, prompting 76 conclusions and making 16 suggestions for enchancment.

Lady Elish discovered that with out main adjustments there may be nothing in place to cease one other monster like Couzens going undetected.

She mentioned: ‘Failures of investigations, failures of recruitment processes, and failures of vetting coverage and follow are a depressingly acquainted chorus in policing.

‘Now is the time for change and I’ve made 16 suggestions to deliver in regards to the essential adjustments.

‘Wayne Couzens ought to by no means have been a police officer. And, with out a important overhaul, there may be nothing to cease one other Wayne Couzens working in plain sight.’

There have been additionally failures in vetting, with Couzens hiding the extent of debt that he was in and exaggerating the period of time he spent within the Territorial Army.

Couzens failed vetting to change into an everyday officer in 2008, however was allowed to stay as a particular with all the identical powers as an everyday constable and was permitted to work alone.

When he joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, an out of doors pressure – Thames Valley Police – carried out vetting and located that he shouldn’t be recruited, in keeping with guidelines round officers with heavy private money owed, however this was ignored.

In 2018, when he joined the Metropolitan Police, a search of the Police National Database, an intelligence database, discovered ‘no hint’. 

In truth there have been entries about an incident in 2013 when he was reported lacking from dwelling, and an allegation of indecent publicity from 2015.

These have been additionally missed when he utilized to be a firearms officer the next 12 months.

The Met advised the inquiry that it will nonetheless have recruited Couzens even when this info had been out there, which the report mentioned was ‘of great concern’.

While he fastidiously managed how he was seen by colleagues, Couzens spent his working life in environments dominated by males that did nothing to discourage his warped beliefs, the inquiry discovered.

The report units out failures in vetting and the investigation into allegations of indecent publicity that meant Couzens was capable of work for 3 completely different police forces regardless of being a sexual predator. 

His historical past of unmanaged debt, alleged sexual offending and desire for violent excessive pornography went again almost 20 years earlier than he dedicated homicide.

‘The proof seen by the inquiry has proven that failures in recruitment and vetting meant Couzens was capable of proceed a policing profession which ought to have been denied to him,’ Lady Elish mentioned.

‘Failures in investigations into allegations of indecent publicity meant alternatives to disrupt Couzens’ offending and convey his policing profession to a halt have been missed.

‘It is obvious Couzens fastidiously managed the impression he gave individuals of himself. This included the best way he manipulated info on software types and his troubled funds.

‘It additionally included the best way he shared his callous views in direction of girls with solely a really small group of like-minded individuals on a social media group.

‘This all enabled him to focus on weak girls whereas working in plain sight as an apparently unremarkable officer.

‘However, the actual fact stays that three separate police forces allowed him the privilege of being a police officer once they might and may have stopped him.’

Speaking to journalists because the report was printed, Lady Elish mentioned work must be performed to make sure there ‘is not sufficient Couzens working in plain sight’. 

She remembered Miss Everard ‘whose life was reduce brief by probably the most unimaginable cruelty’, and paid tribute to her household saying: ‘I’ve been profoundly affected by their grief, and their grace in struggling.’

Lady Elish continued: ‘Sarah’s homicide by an off-duty police officer shocked the nation. It triggered a surge of discourse about girls’s security in public areas and began a tidal wave of reporting on police misconduct, significantly the place officers misused their powers to commit sexual offences.

‘What is already clear is how a lot injury Couzens has performed to the social contract on which policing is predicated and the way important enhancements are required.’

James Cleverly mentioned Miss Everard was ‘failed in additional methods than one by the individuals who have been meant to maintain her secure’.

The Home Secretary mentioned: ‘The act of pure evil dedicated towards Sarah shocked the nation to its core.

‘My coronary heart goes out to Sarah’s household and to all of the courageous victims who got here ahead to assist inform this report and drive change.

‘The man who dedicated these crimes shouldn’t be a mirrored image on the vast majority of devoted cops working day in, time out to assist individuals.

‘But Sarah was failed in additional methods than one by the individuals who have been meant to maintain her secure, and it laid naked wider points in policing and society that should be urgently mounted.

‘In the three years since, a root-and-stem clean-up of the policing workforce has been underway and we’ve made big strides – in addition to making tackling violence towards girls and ladies a nationwide policing precedence to be handled on par with terrorism.

‘But we’ll proceed to do all the pieces in our energy to guard girls and ladies. I’m grateful to Lady Elish for her meticulous investigation. Her insights will likely be invaluable as we transfer ahead in supporting our police to construct forces of the best requirements of integrity and regain the belief of the British public.’

Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley mentioned: ‘There is nothing we are able to say to the household of Sarah Everard and all those that liked her that may convey how very sorry we’re.

‘Wayne Couzens’ crimes have been horrific. The undeniable fact that he abused his place as a Metropolitan Police officer to hold them out represents probably the most appalling betrayal of belief.

‘It damages the connection between the general public and the police and exposes long-standing basic flaws in the best way we determine who’s match to be a police officer and the best way we pursue those that corrupt our integrity as soon as they get in.

‘The report printed right now is an pressing name to motion for all of us in policing.

‘We should go additional and quicker to earn again the belief of all these whose confidence in policing has been shaken by occasions of current years.

‘Regardless of our important progress over the previous 12 months, the size of the change that’s wanted inevitably means it can take time and it isn’t but full.

‘The majority of my Met colleagues share my willpower to reform by each confronting the danger posed by predatory males in policing, and likewise, enhancing our safety of girls and kids throughout London.’

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan vowed to make sure ‘classes are discovered’ from the Angiolini Inquiry.

Mr Khan, who can also be the equal of the police and crime commissioner for the capital, mentioned in an announcement: ‘The report by Dame Elish Angiolini shines a light-weight on systematic failings in police investigations, vetting and the dealing with of misconduct allegations. We all have to carefully study and think about all of the findings of the inquiry.

‘I’m decided to make sure classes are discovered and acted upon rapidly by the police as a part of a technique of main reform – not simply in London, however throughout the nation – to boost requirements, strengthen vetting and, above all else, forestall something like this from ever occurring once more.’

He added that police rules have to be ‘strengthened’ to make it more durable for many who have confronted critical allegations about their behaviour to hitch any police pressure.

‘And police disciplinary processes have to be reformed to make it simpler and faster to take away officers who fall under the excessive requirements rightly anticipated of those that are entrusted to maintain us secure,’ he mentioned.

‘As I’ve been saying for a while, the general public deserve higher from the Met and police forces throughout the nation. There have to be no hiding place for many who abuse their place of belief and authority throughout the police.’

The inquiry continues in two components, trying on the crimes of David Carrick and wider issues throughout the police within the wake of each instances. 

The Metropolitan Police mentioned final September that greater than 1,000 officers have been presently suspended or on restricted duties whereas underneath investigation for corruption and different types of misconduct, together with sexual offences, home abuse or racial harassment.

The Met got here underneath additional criticism when a March 2021 vigil involving a whole lot of girls that aimed to spotlight the broader violence towards girls and ladies was dispersed over allegations it breached coronavirus lockdown restrictions on mass gatherings in impact on the time.