Wayne Couzens, Sarah Everard’s killer, sentenced to 19 months for indecent exposure
Wayne Couzens has been sentenced to 19 months for three offences of indecent exposure before he abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard.
The former Metropolitan Police officer is already serving a whole life sentence for the murder of Ms Everard, 33, in March 2021.
Following the sentencing, Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS special crime division called the crimes “abhorrent” saying he “caused great distress and discomfort for the victims”.
As it happened: Sarah Everard’s killer sentenced for indecent exposure
Couzens, 50, was sentenced to a total of 19 months for the first offence, which took place in woodland in Kent, and then six months each for the two later incidents, at a fast food restaurant in the county, to be served concurrently.
“This sentence will make no difference to the existing whole of life sentence, from which the defendant will never be released,” judge Mrs Justice May said.
Couzens had pleaded guilty to all three counts of indecent exposure in February.
A number of victims also spoke emotionally about the impact the incidents have had on them.
Wayne Couzens
One said it has made her realise that some police officers could be a threat, and if Couzens had been held accountable at the time of the flashing, it could have saved Ms Everard.
“I felt like that could have been me. I still think about this now,” she said. “If he had been held accountable when we had reported the crime, we could have saved Sarah.”
Another woman wept as she said she “felt relieved” it wasn’t her, describing her feelings as “survivors guilt”.
DAC Stuart Cundy, who leads the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said that she wishes Couzens “had been arrested for these offences before he went on to kidnap, rape and murder of Ms Everard.”
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Wayne Couzens sentenced to whole life-order
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“I am so sorry that he wasn’t,” she said. “The fact he did this whilst serving as a police officer has brought shame on all us who swore to protect the communities we serve.”
Couzens was on duty at time of incident
The incidents took place between November 2020 and February 2021.
On the first occasion, Couzens appeared naked in a narrow, rural lane in Deal – the Kent coastal town where he is from – and exposed his genitals as a woman cycled past.
He was on duty at the time, according to the prosecution.
The cyclist later reported the incident online to Kent Police. When Couzens was arrested over the disappearance of Ms Everard, she contacted police again, after recognising his picture.
Couzens also exposed himself to staff at a drive-thru McDonalds restaurant in Kent, on 14 and 27 February 2021.
CCTV of Couzens’ car at McDonalds drive-thru on 27 February
On the last occasion, staff took a registration number and identified the car from CCTV as a black Seat which was registered to Couzens. A credit card in his name was also used for payment.
‘The horror will remain with me for the rest of my life’
Appearing in court via video link from Frankland Prison, Durham, Couzens did not react as statements from the women were read out in court.
The female cyclist said her “freedom” to enjoy country walks and cycling had been taken away by his “selfish, aggressive act”.
“Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman,” she told Couzens. “The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life.”
Another victim described she has now started to take public transport home from work. “I should feel able to walk home while feeling safe,” she said.
Mrs Justice May made it clear why it was important Couzens was sentenced for these other crimes, even if it makes no difference to the overall time he spends in prison.
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‘Survivor’s guilt’ of Couzens victim
‘Selfish, sexually aggressive acts’
She said it was an “administration of justice” but also acted as “some form of restitution for the victims”, with all three speaking “justly of their shock and upset at this defendant’s selfish, sexually aggressive acts”.
“One woman, after discovering who had done this and what he had gone on to do, speaks of a wholly understandable sense of survivor’s guilt,” the judge said.
“The fact that no police came to find him or his black car to question him about these incidents can only have served to confirm and strengthen in the defendant’s mind a dangerous belief in his invincibility, in his power sexually to dominate and abuse women without being stopped.”
Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, who also investigated the murder of Ms Everard, thanked the victims who came forward. She said they have shown “strength and dignity” in the face of Couzens’ attempts to “scare and demean”.
A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.
Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.
She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.
A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.
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Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.
“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.
“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”
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The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.
In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.
“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”
Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.
A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.
Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.
The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.
One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.
Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.
Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.
Mohamed al Fayed. Pic: AP
The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”
The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.
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Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.
The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.
A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.
“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”
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Bianca Gascoigne speaks about Al Fayed abuse
The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.
One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.
Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.
UK
Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman
Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.
Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.
MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.
But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.
He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.
Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.
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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.
“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.
“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.
“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”
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Review into assisted dying costs
Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.
She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.
“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.
The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband is said to support the bill. Pic: Reuters
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has concerns. Pic: Reuters
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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.
Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.
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Labour MP Kim Leadbeater discusses End of Life Bill
The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.
MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.
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