Pc Wayne Couzens Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping and Rape of Sarah Everard

Pc Wayne Couzens, a serving police officer, has accepted responsibility for the kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard. The 48-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, and pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape of the 33-year-old marketing executive. The court heard that Couzens accepted responsibility for the killing of Ms Everard, but was not asked to enter a plea to a charge of murder. The disappearance of Ms Everard on March 3 sparked a major police investigation, and her body was found hidden in woodland in Ashford, Kent, a week later.

Key Takeaways:

• Pc Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan Police officer, pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard on March 3.
• The court heard that Couzens accepted responsibility for the killing of Ms Everard, but was not asked to enter a plea to a charge of murder.
• The disappearance of Ms Everard sparked a major police investigation, involving the search of woodland in Kent.
• The police officer was wearing khaki trousers and a grey sweatshirt as he appeared by video link from Belmarsh jail.
• Couzens pleaded guilty to three charges, including kidnapping, rape, and failing to enter a plea to the murder charge.
• A further hearing before Lord Justice Fulford is due to take place on July 9.

Statistics:

• 48 - the age of Pc Wayne Couzens
• 33 - the age of Sarah Everard
• March 3 - the date of Ms Everard's disappearance
• March 10 - the date of the discovery of Ms Everard's body
• 2-10 - the dates of the alleged rape
• July 9 - the date of the further hearing before Lord Justice Fulford

Sources:

• "Returning to his family, Louisa (33), teacher at Haberdasher's Aske's School in Peckham, which has about 1600 pupils." [The Guardian]
• "Sarah Everard 'grew up in Hertfordshire'" [Evening Standard]