Met Police officer Wayne Couzens has pleaded guilty to the murder of Sarah Everard.
Couzens, 48, appeared at the Old Bailey today (Friday July 9) where he pleaded guilty to Ms Everard’s killing. He had already pleaded guilty to kidnapping and raping her.
The police constable was arrested on March 9 after Ms Everard, 33, disappeared six days earlier in Clapham.
Ms Everard’s body was found in the countryside near Ashford in Kent, close to Mr Couzens’ own land.
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “My thoughts and those of everyone in the Met Police are with Sarah’s loved ones. It is not possible for any of us to begin to imagine what they have been going through. I am so sorry.
“I was able to speak to them earlier today and said to them how very sorry I am for their loss and their pain and their suffering.
“All of us in the Met are sickened, angered and devastated by this man’s truly dreadful crimes. Everyone in policing feels betrayed.
“Sarah was a fantastic, talented young woman with her whole life ahead of her and that has been snatched away. She was hugely loved and she will be sorely missed by so many people.
“Ever since Sarah went missing, the sole priority of my investigation team, the search team and hundreds of others in the Met was to find Sarah and bring the person who has committed this terrible crime to justice as swiftly as possible.
“We are hugely indebted to Sarah’s family, friends and so many members of the public who helped the investigation in every single way they could, not least by making appeals and giving us information.
“No words can adequately express the profound sadness, anger and regret everyone in the Met feels about what happened to Sarah.
“Today as every day our thoughts are with Sarah with her family, with her loved ones and they always will be.”
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The Crown Prosecution Service’s Carolyn Oakley said after the conviction: “Wayne Couzens lied to the police when he was arrested and to date, he has refused to comment.
“We still do not know what drove him to commit this appalling crime against a stranger.
“Today is not the day for hearing the facts about what happened to Sarah. Today is a day to remember Sarah and our thoughts remain with her family and friends.”
Couzens will be sentenced on September 29.