Met police apologise over missed opportunities to stop sexual predator Wayne Couzens
Opportunities were missed to stop sexual predator Wayne Couzens before he killed Sarah Everard, according to women to whom he indecently exposed himself.
The former Metropolitan Police officer (pictured) is already serving a whole life jail sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of the 33-year-old.
On Monday, Ms Everard’s mother, Susan, watched as the 50-year-old was jailed for 19 months for exposing himself to women on three occasions in the months before.
Couzens gave no reaction as he appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link from Frankland Prison as the victims described in statements the impact of his “sexually aggressive acts”.
A female cyclist said he had robbed her of her “freedom” to enjoy country pursuits after he exposed himself to her in a secluded country lane in Kent in November 2020.
She told him she was left feeling “vulnerable and afraid” and that his actions “left a dark stain on my daily life”.
“The pleasures of being able to take a walk on my own, or to cycle to the railway station, without fear, are now denied to me.
“I face each venture outside with fear and trepidation.
“Before this crime, I did not experience this overwhelming fear. Now, I have been diagnosed with, and am being treated for, PTSD because of your crime.
“When you decided on the 13th of November 2020 that you would seek sexual gratification by going to a local woodland spot, standing on the side of the road, stripping completely naked and masturbating furiously in full view of passing strangers, you took something important from me – you took my sense of freedom, my ability to go outside without fear.
“In that moment I was very afraid, and I am still afraid now.
“It was a selfish, aggressive act and it has had a serious impact upon the quality of my life, and upon the quality of life of those close to me.”
She said that indecent exposure is sometimes viewed as a “minor offence” but research has shown it can be a “progressive” behaviour.
“I remember vividly being concerned that somebody who could expose themselves to a stranger in such an intimidating way could go on to commit much more serious acts. This is what happened.
“Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman.
“There were opportunities to identify you and they were not taken. I did not feel that, when I reported your crime, it was taken as seriously as I felt that it should have been.
“The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life.”
A female attendant at a drive-through restaurant in Kent described how Couzens’ indecent exposure made her concerned about walking home alone after a late shift.
She said she was “in shock” at finding out what Couzens had gone on to do, saying: “I could not believe that I had met someone who would go on to be a killer.
“The next thing I saw was a photo of Sarah Everard. Whether I looked for similarities between myself and Sarah, or whether they were really there, I was scared. I felt like that could have been me. I still think about this now.
“I should not have to be in fear of somebody attacking me and I should feel able to walk home while feeling safe.”
Even though the indecent exposure was reported, she was not contacted until after Ms Everard’s murder.
“If he had been held accountable when we had reported the crime, we could have saved Sarah,” she said.
Another worker at the same fast-food restaurant also described her “shock” when Couzens exposed himself to her.
Weeping in court as she read her statement, she said: “I did not expect to bring the food back and to have an erect penis shown to me. It took me a moment to process what had just happened.
“Then I became really upset and burst into tears. I remember everything about what had happened over the incident, even down to the cheeseburger and coffee that he had ordered and even what his hands look like, and I still do remember this vividly.
“I was concerned at the time, having studied psychology at university, that males who expose themselves have a tendency to escalate their behaviour.
“When I heard that this had happened before that I had a fear for my colleagues and myself that we could be in danger of this person, which remained until we knew who he was and that he was in custody.”
She felt “sick” when she realised the flasher was the same person arrested over Ms Everard’s disappearance.
She added: “I could not help but feel relieved that it wasn’t me, or that it could have been me.
“At the same time I felt really sorry for Sarah’s family and felt a large amount of survivor’s guilt. I could not imagine how they were feeling or what they were going through.
“My perspective of the police has been altered significantly. Prior to this I did not have a firm opinion of the police as I have been fortunate enough not to require them. However now, while I know the police have a duty of care, my trust in the police to treat me well has been diminished.
“I do not like to tar everyone with the same brush but it has been difficult not to do so after knowing what he did for a living and knowing I could have come across him in uniform and not known what he was capable of.”
Police ‘sorry’ Wayne Couzens was not caught
Police said they are “sorry” that former officer Wayne Couzens was not caught before he raped and murdered Sarah Everard following a string of indecent exposure offences.
The sexual predator was finally brought to justice for flashing at three women over a four-month period, with the last incident just days before he kidnapped 33-year-old Ms Everard on March 3, 2021.
The former Metropolitan Police officer, 50, was sentenced to 19 months in prison on Monday after admitting three counts of indecent exposure.
The Met’s deputy assistant commissioner Stuart Cundy, who leads the force’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “Today’s sentencing reflects the impact these awful crimes committed by Couzens’ has had on the women he targeted.
“I have read the victim impact statements and it is clear to me the hurt and trauma that he inflicted on them. It is their courage that has been crucial in bringing him to justice and I am sorry for what they have gone through.
“Like so many, I wish he had been arrested for these offences before he went on to kidnap, rape and murder Sarah Everard and I am sorry that he wasn’t.”
The incidents occurred in Kent but the Met’s response to Couzens’ offending has been independently investigated, with one officer due to face a misconduct hearing.
On February 28, 2021, the force received an allegation of exposure at a location in Swanley, which it says was recorded and passed to a local officer to investigate.
Couzens’ first indecent exposure was carried out in November 2020 – four months before Ms Everard’s murder.
But the victim, a female cyclist who was flashed at while she rode along a country lane, said the crime was not “taken as seriously” as it should have been when she reported it.
“There were opportunities to identify you and they were not taken,” she said.
By the time of Sarah Everard’s kidnap, the investigation was not concluded and Couzens’ occupation had not been identified.
“The fact he did this whilst serving as a police officer has brought shame on all (of) us who swore to protect the communities we serve,” Mr Cundy said.
“My thoughts today are with all those targeted by Wayne Couzens and Sarah Everard’s family.”
Detective chief inspector Katherine Goodwin, who leads the Met’s Specialist Crime Command team that also investigated the murder of Sarah Everard, said: “Those who came forward have shown strength and dignity in the face of Couzens’ attempts to scare and demean them for his own satisfaction.
“I would like to recognise their patience and co-operation throughout the case, and thank them for standing up to him. Without them justice could not have been served.
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