A MONSTER cop lured Sarah Everard into his car by handcuffing and arresting her on a fake Covid patrol before he raped and murdered her.
Wayne Couzens, 48, snatched the 33-year-old off the streets as she walked home from a friend's home in Clapham Common, South West London, on March 3.
Harrowing details of Sarah's murder were revealed for the first time today as the Met Police officer is sentenced for kidnap, rape and murder.
The Old Bailey heard how Couzens used his warrant card to lure Sarah into his car as she walked home by claiming he was on a Covid patrol.
Just five minutes later, terrified Sarah was driven for 80 miles from London to Kent at the start of a “lengthy ordeal” that was to lead “inexorably to her rape and murder".
Read our Wayne Couzens sentencing live blog for the latest updates…
- Louis Allwood
Family statement after her death
Sarah's family previously paid tribute to their "bright and beautiful daughter and sister".
In a statement, they said: “Sarah was bright and beautiful – a wonderful daughter and sister.
“She was kind and thoughtful, caring and dependable. She always put others first and had the most amazing sense of humour.
“She was strong and principled and a shining example to us all.
“We are very proud of her and she brought so much joy to our lives.”
- John Hall
Police probe
Twelve police officers are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct for gross misconduct over matters relating to the case.
The watchdog is probing whether the Met failed to investigate two allegations of indecent exposure relating to Couzens just four days before he took Sarah.
A separate investigation is also ongoing into claims Kent Police failed to follow up on an allegation of indecent exposure in Dover in 2015.
The Met issued a statement today ahead of the hearing, saying they are "sickened, angered and devastated" by Couzens' actions.
- Louis Allwood
Vigils were held after her death
Sarah's death sparked vigils across the country and demands for action to tackle violence against women.
Thousands of women shared stories on social media about how they had been harassed while on the street and public transport.
Campaign group Reclaim These Streets was formed in the wake of Sarah's death with a vigil in Clapham Common attended by Kate Middleton.
The movement has continued in recent weeks following the killing of 28-year-old teacher Sabina Nessa in Kidbrooke, South East London.
- Louis Allwood
Ghastly plot
In the days leading up to the murder, Couzens hatched a ghastly plot to travel to London and abduct a woman.
On February 28 he rented the car used to snatch Sarah using his name, address and two different mobile phones.
Minutes later, he bought a 600mm by 100mm roll of self-adhesive film from Amazon to use in the attack.
On the night he took Sarah, the cop was seen on CCTV buying hairbands he used in the horror.
As part of his grim killing kit, the monster also purchased carpet protector, tarpaulin, and a cargo net on March 7.
- John Hall
Nicknamed 'The Rapist'
Questions are now mounting over why Couzens was even still on the force following a wave of indecent exposure claims made against him.
Shockingly, Couzens was not given enhanced vetting when he joined the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit in February 2020.
This was despite colleagues in the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, where he worked before the Metropolitan Police, nicknaming him The Rapist.
- John Hall
Wiped phone
Despite wiping his phone, data on the device linked Couzens to the abduction and eventually the area where Sarah was found.
While in custody, former mechanic Couzens was twice taken to hospital with head injuries.
- John Hall
Snatched off the street
Sarah vanished after walking home from a friend's house in Clapham, South West London, on March 3.
The court was told she was "in good spirits" and spent around 14 minutes on the phone to her boyfriend.
Sarah was seen alone on CCTV at 9.15pm, again at 9.28pm and was later captured on the camera of a marked police car at 9.32pm.
Chilling footage taken at 9.38pm showed two figures standing by Couzens' rented white Vauxhall Crossland.
It is understood she was snatched by the fiend just seconds later.
- Louis Allwood
#shewasonlywalkinghome
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said: "Sarah Everard's disappearance on the evening of 3rd March 2021 led to one of the most widely publicised missing person investigations this country has seen.
"What had taken place became widely summarised on social media as #shewasonlywalkinghome.
"That is true. Sarah Everard was only walking home when she was taken off the street from her family, friends and colleagues by the defendant on the evening of 3rd March 2021.
"However, those five words do not fairly or completely begin to describe what happened to her and her body at the hands of the defendant in the hours and days that followed her kidnap.
"Whilst it is impossible to summarise what the defendant did to Sarah Everard in just five words, if it had to be done then it would be appropriate to do so as deception, kidnap, rape, strangulation, fire".
- John Hall
Planned his kill
On the night he took Sarah, the cop was seen on CCTV buying hairbands he used in the horror.
As part of his grim killing kit, the monster also purchased carpet protector, tarpaulin, and a cargo net on March 7.
And Couzens was seen buying two large green rubble bags from B&Q on March 5 – the same day he called his work to say he was "suffering from stress" and was unable to work.
- Louis Allwood
Couzens continued with life after horrific murder
He then treated himself to a hot chocolate with coconut milk and bakewell tart from Costa just hours after the murder.
The next morning, Couzens returned the rental car and chucked Sarah's phone into a river in Sandwich, Kent.
He also bought petrol which he used to burn Sarah's body before calling his vet to make an appointment for the family dog about "possible medication for separation anxiety".
Sickeningly, Couzens even took his family to the woodland where he dumped Sarah's body just four days after murdering her.
- John Hall
Killing kit
The dad-of-two then suggested the trio had murdered Sarah – even though her body was discovered on land he owned.
In the days leading up to the murder, Couzens hatched a ghastly plot to travel to London and abduct a woman.
On February 28 he rented the car used to snatch Sarah using his name, address and two different mobile phones.
Minutes later, he bought a 600mm by 100mm roll of self-adhesive film from Amazon to use in the attack.
- John Hall
Gang lies
Couzens previously claimed he was unable to pay for a prostitute he met in a Holiday Inn in Folkestone so was ordered to find "another girl" otherwise his family would be harmed.
The cop told officers he drove Sarah to a lay-by between Ashford and Maidstone where three men got out of a van and took the marketing executive.
- Louis Allwood
Believed to have died early hours of morning
After raping and strangling her, Couzens then burned her body in a plot of land he bought in 2019 that he described as "perfect for a day out".
Police believe she was dead by 2.31am – five hours after she was snatched from the street.
Couzens, who was known to wear a police belt with handcuffs while off-duty, put her charred remains in green rubble bags and dumped them in a pond in woodland.
- Louis Allwood
Couzens has kept his head down during the hearing
Wayne Couzens, 48, snatched the 33-year-old off the streets as she walked home from a friend's home in Clapham Common, South West London, on March 3.
Harrowing details of Sarah's murder were revealed for the first time today as the Met Police officer is sentenced for kidnap, rape and murder.
The Old Bailey heard how Couzens used his warrant card to lure Sarah into his car as she walked home by claiming he was on a Covid patrol.
- John Hall
Web of lies
Couzens spun a web of lies after he was arrested – meaning Sarah's heartbroken family and the police never found out the real reason why he snatched and strangled Sarah.
He was painted today as a sex mad fiend despite portraying the image of a married dad-of-two and even contacted escorts and used a Match.com dating profile.
Bizarrely, Couzens claimed he kidnapped Sarah, who was a stranger to him, for a "gang of Eastern Europeans".
He was in debt by about £29,000 with additional credit card debt at the time he murdered Sarah.
- Louis Allwood
'She must have realised her fate.'
The Old Bailey heard how Couzens used his warrant card to lure Sarah into his car as she walked home by claiming he was on a Covid patrol.
Just five minutes later, terrified Sarah was driven for 80 miles from London to Kent at the start of a “lengthy ordeal” that was to lead “inexorably to her rape and murder".
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said: "She must have realised her fate.”
- John Hall
Horror death
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said: "Sarah Everard's disappearance on the evening of 3rd March 2021 led to one of the most widely publicised missing person investigations this country has seen.
"What had taken place became widely summarised on social media as #shewasonlywalkinghome.
"That is true. Sarah Everard was only walking home when she was taken off the street from her family, friends and colleagues by the defendant on the evening of 3rd March 2021.
"However, those five words do not fairly or completely begin to describe what happened to her and her body at the hands of the defendant in the hours and days that followed her kidnap.
"Whilst it is impossible to summarise what the defendant did to Sarah Everard in just five words, if it had to be done then it would be appropriate to do so as deception, kidnap, rape, strangulation, fire".
- John Hall
Strangled by sicko
Sarah's body had to be identified by dental records after being found a week later more than 50 miles away in Ashford, Kent.
Post-mortem results later revealed she died from a compression to the neck.
- John Hall
Took kids to play near remains
Sickeningly, Couzens even took his family to the woodland where he dumped Sarah's body just four days after murdering her.
He even allowed his children "to play in relatively close proximity" to where her body was left in the pond.
- John Hall
Returned to the scene
The morning after the murder, Couzens returned the rental car and chucked Sarah's phone into a river in Sandwich, Kent.
He also bought petrol which he used to burn Sarah's body before calling his vet to make an appointment for the family dog about "possible medication for separation anxiety".
- John Hall
Celebrating his kill
Couzens, who was known to wear a police belt with handcuffs while off-duty, put her charred remains in green rubble bags and dumped them in a pond in woodland.
He then treated himself to a hot chocolate with coconut milk and bakewell tart from Costa just hours after the murder.
- John Hall
Monster
After raping and strangling Sarah, Couzens then burned her body in a plot of land he bought in 2019 that he described as "perfect for a day out".
Police believe she was dead by 2.31am – five hours after she was snatched from the street.
- John Hall
Terrifying end
The Old Bailey heard how Couzens used his warrant card to lure Sarah into his car as she walked home by claiming he was on a Covid patrol.
Just five minutes later, terrified Sarah was driven for 80 miles from London to Kent at the start of a “lengthy ordeal” that was to lead “inexorably to her rape and murder".
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said: "She must have realised her fate.”
- John Hall
Free to kill
Gun cop Couzens, who joined the Met Police in 2018, was charged with kidnap and murder more than a week after Sarah first vanished when police swooped on his home in Deal, Kent.
The cop, who worked on the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command unit, had finished a shift earlier on the morning of March 3 and was not on duty at the time of Sarah's disappearance.
Source: Read Full Article