Wayne Couzens – Women ‘should call 999 if suspicious plain clothes police approach them after Sarah Everard murder’
WOMEN have been told to call 999 if they are "really concerned" about the behaviour of a police officer trying to detain them.
Former Met Police chief superintendent Parm Sandhu told Good Morning Britain it's "very, very unlikely" there will be another man likeSarah Everard killer Wayne Couzens on any police force.
However, she said there are steps people can take if they're concerned about an arrest.
"I would say, do not get into the car unless it's a marked police vehicle, ask to see the radio, or ask the arresting officer to call their colleagues and make sure they are on duty," she said.
"If you're really concerned dial 999.
"This cannot carry on forever, it's a short-term solution - we've got to get that trust and confidence back - but in the short-term they're easy steps to verify you're being stopped legitimately."
Read our Wayne Couzens sentencing live blog for the latest updates...
Heartbreaking CCTV shows Sarah being stalked
HEARTBREAKING CCTV shows Sarah Everard being stalked by Wayne Couzens as he prowled the dark streets looking for a victim.
Sarah, 33, was walking back from a friend’s house in Clapham Common on March 3 when she was lured into Wayne Couzens’ car.
Read more here.
‘My heart breaks’
Piers Morgan has said "my heart breaks" in an emotional message to tragic Sarah Everard's family.
The TV host, 56, took to Twitter to pay tribute to the 33-year-old after horrific details of her murder emerged in court.
As the unbearable details of the crime emerged, Piers shared his devastation for Sarah's family.
Posting a picture of the marketing executive, he wrote: “Everything about the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard is just gut-wrenchingly awful.
“And the fact her depraved killer was a serving policeman makes it even more appalling.
“My heart breaks for her poor family. RIP Sarah.”
The former GMB host said his 'heart breaks' for the 33-year-old's family Credit: Twitter 'Calling Sarah's killer an ‘ex cop’ is insulting'
This is a comment piece by Isabel Hardman
"Why were coppers so keen to say Couzens is an “ex” officer?
A kindly interpretation would be that they don’t want women to be afraid of the people whose job it is to keep them safe. But it is far more likely that these careful references to “ex” this and “former” that were spin.
I say “spin”, but in my time as a political journalist, I’ve never seen Westminster spin doctors perform this kind of sleight of hand. They would consider it too grim, even for their dark arts.
Only after the backlash against this spin became deafening did Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House finally say the Met “should own this”.
Good. The Met needs to take a long hard look at itself.Sure, perhaps a serving policeman could randomly go rogue and use his office as a means of kidnapping a woman. But this wasn’t what happened with Couzens."
Read the article in full here.
Haunted by the horror
Sarah Everard’s mother said she is “haunted by the horror” of what happened to her daughter, describing the burning of her body as “the final insult”.
“Our lives will never be the same,” she said.
“We should be a family of five, but now we are four.
“Her death leaves a yawning chasm in our lives that cannot be filled.
“I yearn for her. I remember all the lovely things about her: she was caring, she was funny. She was clever, but she was good at practical things too. She was a beautiful dancer. She was a wonderful daughter.”
‘Bright and beautiful’
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.”
Sarah’s final walk
Heartbreaking CCTV shows Sarah Everard being stalked by Wayne Couzens as he prowled the dark streets looking for a victim.
Sarah, 33, was walking back from a friend’s house in Clapham Common on March 3 when she was lured into Wayne Couzens’ car.
Devastating footage was shown in court of Sarah’s final moments.
‘Run and flag down a bus’
Women have been advised to call 999 if they “feel in danger” after being stopped by a lone cop in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder.
Policing minister Kit Malthouse said people have a right to check an officer’s credentials “before complying” if they have any “doubts”.
He said that people should be aware police officers are “rarely deployed” on their own to patrol the streets.
And he added: “If anybody has any doubts about a police officer they should question them about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.
“They should ask to either speak to the control room using officer’s radio or, if in doubt, call 909 and ask the question.
“If they feel in danger, then I’m afraid that’s where we’ve got to.”
Read the article in full here.
The changes Harriet Harman is demanding
Harriet Harman called on the Home Secretary to bring forward changes including:
- Immediately suspending officers from duty where there is an allegation of violence against women.
- Dismissing officers immediately when there is a conviction or admission of such a crime.
- Disciplinary action of gross misconduct, leading to dismissal, for failing to report fellow officers for an allegation of violence against women.
- Scrutinising someone’s attitudes to violence against women, including engaging in violence during sex, as part of vetting of police recruits.
- Fresh checks on officers who transfer between forces for allegations of violence against women.
- Training for all current serving officers with a course to teach them to “examine their own attitudes to violence against women and recognise signs in their colleagues”.
A bad apple in the force
Former detective simon harding who was Investigator in Sarah Everard’s case told Good Morning Britian that he believed Couzens was just a bad apple in the force.
He said: “I wouldn’t say there’s a bigger problem.
“Wayne Couzens doesn’t stand alone in bad behaviour but he took it to another level.
“What he did was so evil. Our hearts go out to the family.
“There are issues that need to be addressed. The question is how does it change.
“The process needs to be quicker to find these people and get them out of the police.”
Further investigations
Cops are investigating if monster officer Wayne Couzens could be responsible for more crime, with some as far back as 2015.
One of the allegations against Couzens came just 72 hours before he kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard after stopping her in Clapham, South West London in March.
Two of Couzens’ cars were linked to two earlier indecent exposure allegations.
While he was not named as a suspect in a South London incident, a DVLA check on a car linked to it would have revealed him as the registered owner.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said the investigation into the indecent exposure had been “ongoing” at the time Couzens killed Ms Everard.
He said the Met had been referred to the police watchdog and a file sent to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to the alleged crime itself.
The senior officer also admitted a check when Couzens transferred to the Metropolitan Police in 2018 was not done “correctly”.
It did not flag up that a vehicle associated with Couzens had been identified in a Kent Police investigation into an indecent exposure in 2015.
Read the article in full here.
Explained: What should I do if I’m stopped by police?
Unless the police officer has reasonable grounds to believe you have committed a crime, are carrying a prohibited item or are engaged in anti-social behaviour, they do not have the power to stop you.
The police officer doesn’t have the power to force you to stay and you can’t be searched or arrested just because you refuse to answer their questions.
Former Met Police chief superintendent Parm Sandhu told Good Morning Britain it’s “very, very unlikely” there will be another man like Couzens on any police force.
However, she said there are steps people can take if they’re concerned about an arrest.
“I would say, do not get into the car unless it’s a marked police vehicle, ask to see the radio, or ask the arresting officer to call their colleagues and make sure they are on duty,” she said.
“If you’re really concerned dial 999.
“This cannot carry on forever, it’s a short-term solution – we’ve got to get that trust and confidence back – but in the short-term they’re easy steps to verify you’re being stopped legitimately.”
‘Women should be certain that they can trust the police’ (Continued…)
A poll by YouGov found 85 per cent of women aged 18-24 said they received unwelcome advances from men in public.
Meanwhile Ms Harmen also believes a overhaul of police forces is also needed for officers to regain the trust of women.
She said: “Women should be absolutely certain that they can trust the police.
“What we need is proper action plan to ensure that women are entitled to feel comfortable.
“It’s things like if there’s an allegation of violence against against a police officer then that’s immediate suspension.
“There’s an investigation – not by his mates – but by a different force.
“That if you cover up for a colleague that that is gross misconduct and you should be fired.
“That there should be a revamping of the vetting process.
“Women need to know that the force is there to protect them that there to help them.”
‘Men who ‘catcall’ women or follow them should be arrested’
Men who catcall women or follow them in the street should be arrested and have their drivers license taken away, MP Harriet Harman has said.
It comes after Sarah Everard was strangled to death by a monster cop who abducted her as she walked home in Clapham.
She told Good Morning Britain: “I know Cressida Dick is sorry. It is her job to have led on this and she hasn’t done it.
“It’s not good enough for her to be asking questions after. She should be saying these are the new requirements.
“She needs to bring in a victims law. We need new laws, tougher policing.”
“She needs to bring in new criminal offences so that if a man curb crawls a girl walking home in the dark in his car – that’s a criminal offence and he gets his license taken away.
“That if he follows a woman walking too closely behind her in the street, asking her out, asking for her number, asking why she is not answering him, that that is harassment and it’s a criminal offence.”
Sarah Everard killer will die behind bars
Wayne Couzens will die behind bars after kidnapping, raping and murdering Sarah Everard – as the Metropolitan Police face questions over why he was still on the force.
The ex-Pc, 48, was handed a whole life sentence at the Old Bailey on Thursday by Lord Justice Fulford, who said his “warped, selfish and brutal” crimes had eroded confidence in the police.
The judge said the firearms officer had been planning for at least a month before abducting Ms Everard, 33, as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3.
Firearms officer Couzens, who had been “hunting” for a victim, used his warrant card and handcuffs to snatch the marketing executive off the street using Covid lockdown rules to make a false arrest.
Lord Justice Fulford said the case in which a serving officer abused his position was so exceptional it warranted a whole life order, meaning Couzens will never be freed.
It is the first time the sentence has been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.
Sarah Everard’s tragic last moments revealed…
- A couple saw Sarah Everard being kidnapped by Wayne Couzens and assumed it was ‘undercover arrest’
- Sarah Everard’s brave mum ‘haunted by the horror’ of daughter’s final hours as dad tells killer to face them in court
- Wayne Couzens handcuffed & ‘arrested’ Sarah Everard in ‘fake Covid patrol’ to kidnap her off street before murder
- Killer cop Wayne Couzens used his police belt to strangle Sarah Everard after luring her off street in fake arrest
- Wayne Couzens took family on ‘day out’ to woods after burning Sarah Everard’s body and let kids play near her remains
- Shocking CCTV shows moment Wayne Couzens lured Sarah Everard off street in staged fake Covid stop
Cressida Dick faces calls to quit
Dame Cressida Dick is facing calls to resign in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder amid demands for urgent action to restore the confidence of women in the police.
Harriet Harman MP has asked the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, to take urgent action to “rebuild the shattered confidence of women in the police service”, and has told the Metropolitan Police Commissioner she needs to step aside to “enable these changes to be taken through”.
In a letter to Dame Cressida, the MP for Camberwell and Peckham, who is also mother of the House of Commons and chairman of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, said: “Women need to be confident that the police are there to make them safe, not to put them at risk. Women need to be able to trust the police, not to fear them.
“I have written to the Home Secretary to set out a number of actions which must be taken to rebuild the shattered confidence of women in the police service.
“I think it is not possible for you to lead these necessary actions in the Metropolitan Police. I am sure that you must recognise this, and I ask you to resign to enable these changes to be taken through and for women to be able to have justified confidence in the police.”
Guidance
The Metropolitan Police have also issued guidance on what people should do if they feel threatened by an officer.
They say members of the public should first ask "very searching" questions of them such as:
- Where are your colleagues?
- Where have you come from?
- Why are you here?
- Exactly why are you stopping or talking to me?
If they are not reassured or the officer refuses to answer, people are urged to "seek assistance" from passers-by.
This could include shouting for help in the street, running into a house, knocking on a door, waving a bus down, or calling 999.
‘Run and flag down a bus’
Women have been advised to call 999 if they "feel in danger" after being stopped by a lone cop in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder.
Policing minister Kit Malthouse said people have a right to check an officer's credentials "before complying" if they have any "doubts".
He said that people should be aware police officers are "rarely deployed" on their own to patrol the streets.
And he added: "If anybody has any doubts about a police officer they should question them about what they're doing and why they're doing it.
"They should ask to either speak to the control room using officer's radio or, if in doubt, call 909 and ask the question.
"If they feel in danger, then I'm afraid that's where we've got to."
Read the article in full here.
A bad apple in the force
Former detective simon harding who was Investigator in Sarah Everard’s case told Good Morning Britian that he believed Couzens was just a bad apple in the force.
He said: "I wouldn't say there's a bigger problem.
“Wayne Couzens doesn't stand alone in bad behaviour but he took it to another level.
“What he did was so evil. Our hearts go out to the family.
“There are issues that need to be addressed. The question is how does it change.
“The process needs to be quicker to find these people and get them out of the police.”
Detective who led the murder investigation speaks
Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, who led the murder investigation, said she was unaware of any allegations against Couzens of such a serious nature.
But she said: "As you would expect, we have a number of inquiries ongoing to establish whether Wayne Couzens is responsible for any other offences.
She added that she would never forget witnessing the recovery of Ms Everard's body, after it had been identified by police dogs in a Kent pond days after her disappearance.
She said: "Officers took off hats as a mark of respect.
"After the terrible way he had treated her, we wanted to show her the utmost respect and care."
Sarah's final walk
Heartbreaking CCTV shows Sarah Everard being stalked by Wayne Couzens as he prowled the dark streets looking for a victim.
Sarah, 33, was walking back from a friend's house in Clapham Common on March 3 when she was lured into Wayne Couzens' car.
Devastating footage was shown in court of Sarah's final moments.
Further investigations
Cops are investigating if monster officer Wayne Couzens could be responsible for more crime, with some as far back as 2015.
One of the allegations against Couzens came just 72 hours before he kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard after stopping her in Clapham, South West London in March.
Two of Couzens' cars were linked to two earlier indecent exposure allegations.
While he was not named as a suspect in a South London incident, a DVLA check on a car linked to it would have revealed him as the registered owner.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said the investigation into the indecent exposure had been "ongoing" at the time Couzens killed Ms Everard.
He said the Met had been referred to the police watchdog and a file sent to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to the alleged crime itself.
The senior officer also admitted a check when Couzens transferred to the Metropolitan Police in 2018 was not done "correctly".
It did not flag up that a vehicle associated with Couzens had been identified in a Kent Police investigation into an indecent exposure in 2015.
Read the article in full here.
'We are sickened, angered and devastated'
When approached by The sun, a Met Police spokesperson said: "Former Metropolitan Police Officer PC Wayne Couzens will be sentenced for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard over the next two days.
"We are sickened, angered and devastated by this man’s crimes which betray everything we stand for.
"Our thoughts are with Sarah’s family and her many friends. It is not possible for us to imagine what they are going through.
"We recognise his actions raise many questions and concerns but we will not be commenting further until the hearing is complete."
Legitimate
People can ask the police for identification and ask them under what power they are making the arrest, as well as their “reasonable grounds” for believing you have committed a crime.
If you’re arrested the police must:
- identify themselves as the police
- tell you that you’re being arrested
- tell you what crime they think you’ve committed
- explain why it’s necessary to arrest you
- explain to you that you’re not free to leave
Read the article in full here.
Explained: What should I do if I’m stopped by police?
Unless the police officer has reasonable grounds to believe you have committed a crime, are carrying a prohibited item or are engaged in anti-social behaviour, they do not have the power to stop you.
The police officer doesn’t have the power to force you to stay and you can’t be searched or arrested just because you refuse to answer their questions.
Former Met Police chief superintendent Parm Sandhu told Good Morning Britain it's "very, very unlikely" there will be another man like Couzens on any police force.
However, she said there are steps people can take if they're concerned about an arrest.
"I would say, do not get into the car unless it's a marked police vehicle, ask to see the radio, or ask the arresting officer to call their colleagues and make sure they are on duty," she said.
"If you're really concerned dial 999.
"This cannot carry on forever, it's a short-term solution - we've got to get that trust and confidence back - but in the short-term they're easy steps to verify you're being stopped legitimately."