Sarah Everard’s household say she died as a result of Couzens was an officer

The household of murdered Sarah Everard believed she died as a result of her killer Wayne Couzens was a police officer – admitting ‘she would by no means have gotten right into a strangers automobile’. 

The heartbroken relations of the 33-year-old advertising government slammed police forces for overlooking the ‘warning indicators’ that Couzens was a ‘serial intercourse offender’.

Today the killer cop’s horrific historical past of sexual offending was revealed for the primary time elevating questions on how he was ever allowed to hitch the police.

He was beforehand accused of kidnapping a lady at knifepoint in 1995, sexually assaulting a younger woman and raping two girls in assaults greater than 10 years later. 

Repeated alternatives have been missed to catch Couzens permitting him to stay as a cop regardless of being a serial intercourse offender. His well-known disturbing sexual behaviour  led him to be nicknamed ‘the Rapist’ by different officers.

An inquiry wanting into how Couzens was allowed to hold out his crimes discovered he had a historical past of alleged sexual offending courting again almost 20 years earlier than he kidnapped, raped and murdered Miss Everard in Clapham, south London in 2021. 

In an announcement launched tonight, Miss Everard’s mom Sue, father Jeremy and siblings Katie and James stated they’d discovered hope that the ‘important findings’ introduced within the inquiry might result in adjustments to maintain different girls secure.  

‘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,’ they stated. 

The assertion added: ‘As a household, the inquiry has helped us, not simply due to its important findings, however as a result of its implementation made us really feel that Sarah’s life was valued and her reminiscence honoured.

‘Her demise has not been dismissed as a tragic occasion to be acknowledged with sympathy after which forgotten – questions have been raised and actions taken to analyze how this tragedy occurred.

‘As a household, now we have not needed to combat for solutions and, for this, we’re very grateful. It is apparent that Wayne Couzens ought to by no means have been a police officer.

‘Whilst holding a place of belief, in actuality he was a serial intercourse offender. Warning indicators have been missed all through his profession and alternatives to confront him have been missed.’

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

Inquiry chair Lady Elish Angiolini recognized at the least 5 incidents which weren’t reported to police and warned there could possibly 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 experiences of indecent publicity handed to police.

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

Couzens was accused of trying 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 carrying a blonde wig. 

He can also be stated to have raped a lady throughout a singles night time in east London between late 2006 and early 2007 and likewise raped one other girl beneath 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 staff discovered that there have been situations the place he confirmed excessive violent pornography to mates and police colleagues, in a transfer to check their boundaries, and despatched unsolicited photographs 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 employees 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 analyze 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 carry costs.

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 stated: ‘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 carry into query his place as an authorised firearms officer with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.’

Kent Police apologised as we speak 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 carry a cost.

Lady Elish stated she was ‘astonished’ to be taught that Couzens would have handed vetting for the Metropolitan Police even when the drive had recognized a couple of earlier accusation of indecent publicity. 

She referred to as for indecent publicity to be taken extra critically and victims inspired to report crimes.

‘The inquiry was struck by the similarities in strategy 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 might doubtlessly have led to the identification of the suspect and detection of the crime.

‘Rather than embarking on a strategy 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 referred to as for an instantaneous evaluate of indecent publicity allegations towards serving cops.

Setting out a raft of suggestions to ‘make positive one thing like this will by no means occur once more’, Lady Elish stated: ‘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 drive within the nation’ to learn the report and ‘take speedy motion’.

Among the measures, Lady Elish referred to as for an pressing evaluate of indecent publicity costs towards serving officers and stated experiences of the crime should be taken critically.

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 introduced himself as skilled his deviant behaviour outdoors of labor might flourish.

‘Police leaders must radically remodel their strategy to police tradition if future offenders like Couzens are to be denied alternatives to abuse police powers for sexual function.’

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

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

The household added that they ‘strongly help’ the suggestions made by inquiry chairwoman Lady Elish Angiolini and belief they are going to be carried out.

‘We can not get Sarah again, however optimistic adjustments give hope for the longer term and will likely be of profit to others,’ the assertion stated.

‘It is nearly three years now since Sarah died. We now not look ahead to her name, we now not anticipate to see her. We know she will not be there at household gatherings.

‘But the determined longing to have her with us stays and the lack of Sarah pervades each a part of our lives.

‘The care and help of household, mates and the broader group have helped us to bear this and we want to thank them.’

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

After the horrific killing, it emerged there had been issues about Couzens’s behaviour whereas he was a police officer, with experiences 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 3 times 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 in a position to perform the homicide has to this point value £2.9 million, based on figures to September final 12 months.

The first section of the inquiry thought of proof protecting 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 stated: ‘Failures of investigations, failures of recruitment processes, and failures of vetting coverage and observe are a depressingly acquainted chorus in policing.

‘Now is the time for change and I’ve made 16 suggestions to carry 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 grow to be a daily officer in 2008, however was allowed to stay as a particular with all the identical powers as a daily constable and was permitted to work alone.

When he joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, an out of doors drive – Thames Valley Police – carried out vetting and located that he shouldn’t be recruited, in step 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 reality 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 informed the inquiry that it will nonetheless have recruited Couzens even when this data had been obtainable, which the report stated 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 in a position to work for 3 completely different police forces regardless of being a sexual predator. 

His historical past of unmanaged debt, alleged sexual offending and choice 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 in a position to proceed a policing profession which ought to have been denied to him,’ Lady Elish stated.

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

‘It is obvious Couzens fastidiously managed the impression he gave folks of himself. This included the way in which he manipulated data on software kinds and his troubled funds.

‘It additionally included the way in which he shared his callous views in the direction of girls with solely a really small group of like-minded folks 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 very 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 revealed, Lady Elish stated work must be achieved to make sure there ‘is not sufficient Couzens working in plain sight’. 

She remembered Miss Everard ‘whose life was minimize brief by essentially 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 harm Couzens has achieved to the social contract on which policing relies and the way important enhancements are required.’

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

The Home Secretary stated: ‘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 isn’t a mirrored image on nearly all of devoted cops working day in, day trip to assist folks.

‘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 now we have made large strides – in addition to making tackling violence towards girls and ladies a nationwide policing precedence to be handled on par with terrorism.

‘But we are going to proceed to do the whole lot 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 very best requirements of integrity and regain the belief of the British public.’

Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley stated: ‘There is nothing we will say to the household of Sarah Everard and all those that cherished her that can 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 essentially 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 way in which we resolve who’s match to be a police officer and the way in which we pursue those that corrupt our integrity as soon as they get in.

‘The report revealed as we speak is an pressing name to motion for all of us in policing.

‘We should go additional and sooner 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 dimensions of the change that’s wanted inevitably means it should take time and it’s not but full.

‘The majority of my Met colleagues share my willpower to reform by each confronting the chance posed by predatory males in policing, and likewise, bettering our safety of girls and youngsters 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, stated in an announcement: ‘The report by Dame Elish Angiolini shines a lightweight on systematic failings in police investigations, vetting and the dealing with of misconduct allegations. We all must carefully look at and contemplate all of the findings of the inquiry.

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

He added that police laws have to be ‘strengthened’ to make it tougher for individuals who have confronted severe allegations about their behaviour to hitch any police drive.

‘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 stated.

‘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 individuals who abuse their place of belief and authority inside the police.’

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

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

The Met got here beneath additional criticism when a March 2021 vigil involving lots of 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.