Murder of Sarah Everard
 | |
| Date | c. 3 March 2021 |
|---|---|
| Time | after 21:30 (GMT) |
| Location | South London, England Kent, England |
| Arrests | Wayne Couzens |
| Charges | Murder, kidnapping |
The death of Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old English marketing executive, occurred after she disappeared in South London on the evening of 3 March 2021. Everard, a resident of London's Brixton Hill area, went missing after leaving a friend's house near Clapham Common to walk home. On 9 March, Wayne Couzens, a Metropolitan Police officer who was serving with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit, was arrested in Deal, Kent, firstly on suspicion of Everard's kidnapping and later on suspicion of her murder. On 10 March, Everard's remains were discovered in woodland near Ashford. Couzens was charged with her kidnap and murder two days later, following the positive identification of the remains.
Sarah Everard
Sarah Everard was born in Surrey in 1987.[1] She was raised in York where she attended Fulford School.[2] She studied human geography at St Cuthbert's Society, Durham University between 2005 and 2008.[3][4] At the time of her death, Everard was living in the Brixton Hill area and working as a marketing executive for a digital media agency.[3][5][6]
Incident and investigation
At around 21:00 GMT on 3 March 2021, Everard left the house of a friend on Leathwaite Road, west of Clapham Common.[4][7] She is believed to have walked across the common, along the A205 South Circular Road, en route to her home.[7][3] Everard spoke to her boyfriend on her mobile phone for about fifteen minutes and agreed to meet him the next day.[3] At 21:30,[8] Everard was seen on doorbell camera footage on Poynders Road. After this, there were no sightings of Everard, and it is uncertain if she reached her home;[4] she was not seen on CCTV footage from an estate agent on her road.[3] CCTV footage from a bus passing Everard's route was used to progress the investigation.[9] Her boyfriend contacted the police on 4 March after she failed to meet him.[3]
On 10 March, police searching woodland near a former leisure centre in Great Chart, Ashford, Kent, found human remains.[10][11][12][13] Police also searched the suspect's former family garage at the top of the white cliffs, next to St Martin's Battery, overlooking Dover harbour.[14] On 12 March, investigators confirmed the human remains to be those of Everard after identifying her body using dental records.[15][16][17]
Arrests and legal proceedings
On 9 March, Kent Police arrested a 48-year-old male Metropolitan Police officer at his home in Deal, later revealed to be Police Constable Wayne Couzens,[18] on suspicion of kidnapping.[8] Couzens had been serving in the Metropolitan Police since September 2018.[18] Couzens, who was off duty at the time of the arrest, had been assigned to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection branch[9] and performed uniformed patrols of diplomatic premises.[19] On 10 March, the same day that Everard's remains were discovered, Couzens was re-arrested on suspicion of murder.[13] A female was arrested at Couzen's address on suspicion of assisting an offender.[13] The Metropolitan Police self-referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) whether officers had responded appropriately to an earlier report of indecent exposure.[20] On 11 March, Couzens was taken to hospital for treatment to a head injury he had sustained in custody, and was later discharged and returned to a police station;[4] the police later said he was alone in his cell when the injury was sustained.[21] Couzens sustained another head injury on 12 March.[22]
Couzens was charged with Everard's kidnapping and murder on 12 March, following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service.[23] He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 13 March and was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 16 March.[22] The magistrates' court heard that Everard's body was found in a large bag similar to ones used by builders to transport heavy loads.[17]
Responses
A silent vigil was held outside the Metropolitan Police's New Scotland Yard headquarters on 10 March. A Reclaim These Streets vigil planned for 13 March on Clapham Common was cancelled after talks with police broke down.[24][25] The police had advised the organisers that it would be considered an illegal gathering under COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and the court refused a request to intervene in the police decision.[26] Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge was filmed walking around the vigil site in Clapham Common, alongside members of the public, to show condolence despite it being a banned event, with a Kensington Palace statement saying that the Duchess "remembers what it was like to walk around London at night before she was married."[27] Similar events planned for Edinburgh and Cardiff were cancelled in favour of online events.[28][29]
Despite official cancellation of the event, hundreds of people gathered at Clapham Common to hold a vigil for Everard. Police officers surrounded the gathering, removed speakers, and detained numerous attendees.[30] The Metropolitan Police were criticised for their handling of the gathering, including by Members of Parliament. Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds thought the scenes were “deeply distressing” and said he shared “the anger there is about the policing of this”. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that police actions were “neither appropriate nor proportionate”.[31] Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey called for the resignation of Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick over the "utterly disgraceful" scenes.[30]
In the wake of the disappearance and death of Everard, Home Secretary Priti Patel released a statement saying that "every woman should feel safe to walk on our streets without fear of harrassment or violence",[32] while Sadiq Khan stated that London streets are not safe for women or girls.[33] The Home Secretary announced that new laws are being considered to protect women against sexual harassment in public, including the potential of making public harrassment a specifically defined crime, and asked for a "full report" into police response to the vigils.[34][35]
References
- ^ Evans, Martin (11 March 2021). "Sarah Everard profile: 'Caring and fun-filled' marketing executive attracted friends wherever she went". The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
Born in Surrey in 1987, she was the youngest of three children...
- ^ Laycock, Mike (11 March 2021). "York head teacher speaks of 'great sadness' at former pupil's disappearance". York Press. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Strick, Katie (11 March 2021). "Who is missing woman Sarah Everard and what do we know about her?". Evening Standard. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Sarah Everard: Met officer questioned after remains found". BBC News. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Evans, Martin (10 March 2021). "Sarah Everard: An 'incredibly kind friend' who was hugely excited for her future". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Marsh, Sarah (10 March 2021). "'Distraught': torrid week for Sarah Everard's loved ones ends in arrest". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ a b Blackall, Molly (7 March 2021). "Sarah Everard: new CCTV footage of missing woman emerges". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Sarah Everard disappearance: Met officer arrested on suspicion of murder". BBC News. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ a b Evans, Martin; Roberts, Lizzie; Bird, Steve; Horton, Helena (10 March 2021). "Scotland Yard officer arrested on suspicion of murder in Sarah Everard case". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Waite, Steve (11 March 2021). "LIVE: Search continues after remains found with PC still in custody". Kent Online. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Cox, Lynn (10 March 2021). "Remains found in hunt for missing Sarah". Kent Online. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Dearden, Lizzie (10 March 2021). "Met Police officer arrested on suspicion of Sarah Everard murder". The Independent. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ a b c Dodd, Vikram (10 March 2021). "Human remains found in the search for missing London woman Sarah Everard". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Hamilton, Fiona; Brown, David; Simpson, John; Parker, Charlie; Brown, Larisa (12 March 2021). "Sarah Everard's attacker 'was a stranger'". The Times. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Dodd, Vikram (12 March 2021). "Sarah Everard: body found in Kent woodland is that of missing woman". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Everard: Body found in woodland confirmed as that of missing woman". BBC News. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Sarah Everard: 33-year-old's body found in large bag, court hears as police officer remanded into custody". Sky News. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ a b Dodd, Vikram (12 March 2021). "Sarah Everard: Met police officer charged with kidnap and murder". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ Morrison, Sean (11 March 2021). "Officer in custody as human remains found in hunt for Sarah Everard". Evening Standard. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Everard suspect: Met faces inquiry over indecent exposure claim". the Guardian. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Everard case: Met police faces watchdog investigation". BBC News. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Sarah Everard: Wayne Couzens appears in court charged with murder". BBC News. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Everard: Murder and kidnap charges authorised". Crown Prosecution Service. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ Hymas, Charles; Hardy, Jack; Swerling, Gabriella (13 March 2021). "Reclaim These Streets vigil for Sarah Everard cancelled after talks with police break down". The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Blackall, Molly (13 March 2021). "Sarah Everard: Reclaim These Streets vigil in south London cancelled, organisers say". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Everard vigil organisers lose court challenge". BBC News. 12 March 2021.
- ^ Hallam, Katy. "Kate Middleton turns up to banned vigil to 'pay respects' to Sarah Everard". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Everard vigil at Holyrood cancelled after Covid warnings". BBC News. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Everard: Cardiff vigil moves online after High Court ruling". BBC News. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Sarah Everard: Police clash with women at Clapham vigil". BBC News. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Campbell, Lucy (13 March 2021). "Met police criticised for 'deeply disturbing' handling of Clapham Common vigil". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Priti Patel [@pritipatel] (11 March 2021). "A statement on the Sarah Everard investigation" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Dalton, Jane (12 March 2021). "London streets not safe for women or girls, admits Sadiq Khan". The Independent. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Dathan, Matt (13 March 2021). "Sarah Everard: Victims will shape harassment policy, insists Priti Patel". The TImes. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Macphail, Cameron (13 March 2021). "Sarah Everard vigil: Home Secretary demands 'full report' from Met Police after clashes on Clapham Common". The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)