PC Wayne Couzens, 48, pleads guilty to kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard and ‘accepts responsibility for her killing’ – as victim’s family sit in court to hear serving Met officer’s admissions
- Marketing executive went missing as she walked home in London on March 3
- Police investigation launched and body found a week later in woodland in Kent
- Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens charged with her kidnap and murder
PC Wayne Couzens, 48, has pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard and ‘takes responsibility for her death’ her family has heard this morning.
The Old Bailey hearing, attended by his victim’s relatives, did not ask him to enter a plea to a charge of murder.
Last week a post-mortem found Sarah died from compression of the neck.
The 33-year-old marketing executive went missing as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, South London, on March 3.
A major Metropolitan Police investigation was launched and her body was found a week later in woodland in Kent.
Couzens had not been due before court until next month but appeared this morning at the Old Bailey via videolink.
Jim Sturman QC, his barrister said the serving Met Police officer had not yet entered a plea to the murder charge.
Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, went missing as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, South London, on March 3
Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens (above), 48, from Deal, Kent, had been charged with the kidnap and murder of Miss Everard.
He said: ‘Responsibility for the killing is also admitted.’
During the videolink Couzens sat with his head bowed, only repeating ‘guilty sir’ when charges were put to him.
Sarah’s family were in court for the 20-minute hearing and saw him make his pleas.
He will return to court next month on July 9 when he is expected to answer the murder charge.
A provisional date for his murder trial is still set for October.
Sarah’s death prompted a vigil in her memory to be held in London near where she vanished
Police officers clash with people as they form a gathering in Clapham Common, South London, after the Reclaim These Streets vigil for Sarah Everard was officially cancelled on March 13
Sarah was reported missing by her boyfriend on March 4.
Her body was found hidden in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent, inside a large builder’s bag and was formally identified through her dental records.
Ms Everard’s post-mortem was held at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
A police spokesman said on June 1: ‘A post-mortem examination into the death of Sarah Everard held at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford has given cause of death as compression of the neck.’