An independent report has found significant failures in the Metropolitan Police's handling of Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021. The report reveals that Couzens, a former armed Metropolitan police officer, had a history of sexual offending dating back to 1995, including allegations of rape, an attempted kidnapping at knifepoint, and the sexual assault of a child, which were overlooked during his vetting process. The inquiry, chaired by Lady Elish Angiolini, concluded that Couzens should never have been allowed to join the police, stating he was 'never fit to be a police officer' and criticized the Met and other forces for ignoring multiple red flags. The report also highlighted Couzens' deviant behavior almost 30 years before the abduction, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard, including a second alleged kidnapping. It was found that Couzens had been reported to the police eight times before Everard's murder. The family of Sarah Everard stated that she died because Couzens was a police officer, implying that his position enabled him to commit the crime. The report calls for a radical overhaul of police vetting and recruitment practices to prevent similar incidents in the future, noting Couzens had been 'abusing women long before he joined the police'.
My thoughts are with Sarah Everard’s parents, her siblings, her loved ones and everyone who knew her. Sarah’s death shocked the nation. Her family, Londoners and the wider public rightly deserve answers and an explanation as to how a serving police officer was able to carry out…
Police should never have employed Wayne Couzens, report finds https://t.co/Ws31tUwaZt
Wayne Couzens ‘should never have been a police officer’ - damning report findings https://t.co/hMuP6c0x4B
Allegations of rape & attempted knifepoint kidnapping before Couzens joined the Met, allegations of rape when he was an officer, and still he was allowed to go on. The Met's misogyny enabled him to murder Sarah Everard. How can it ever be trusted again? https://t.co/FImToTczpc
James Cleverly said Sarah Everard was “failed in more ways than one by the people who were meant to keep her safe”. In response to the inquiry into her murder by Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, the Home Secretary said: “The act of pure evil committed against Sarah shocked the… https://t.co/x2QkyGMk2R
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s response to the Angiolini Inquiry Report: “There is nothing we can say to the family of Sarah Everard and all those who loved her that will convey how very sorry we are. “Wayne Couzens’ crimes were horrific. The fact that… https://t.co/s1a6KwPRvM
🔺NEW: A firearms officer who kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard had been reported to police eight times, a damning inquiry has found ⬇️ https://t.co/1n75LciKoH
An inquiry into the Sarah Everard case has found that Wayne Couzens “should never have been a police officer” and there needs to be a "radical overhaul" of police recruitment. “If he wasn’t a police officer she would be alive today.” @claire_pearsall | @juliahb1 https://t.co/BwG9R14M29
"Wayne Couzens was never fit to be a police officer." Chair of the Inquiry Lady Elish Angiolini shares the findings of the independent report looking into how the off-duty Metropolitan Police officer was able to carry out his horrendous crime. https://t.co/yHmyYggV4y https://t.co/IEiU1DuNBH
Publishing her findings on Thursday, inquiry chairwoman Lady Elish Angiolini warned without a radical overhaul of policing practices and culture, there is “nothing to stop another Couzens operating in plain sight”. Three different police forces “could and should” have stopped… https://t.co/KRRF5WDRlA
The Angiolini Inquiry lays bare how Wayne Couzens was able to join the police. He abused his position to do the unthinkable. We are so, so sorry. 📰 | Read Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s response https://t.co/KcmiXR5SgU https://t.co/akeyqEAPVf
LATEST: Sarah Everard's killer should never have been a police officer according to a new report which has just been released. 📲 TAP FOR THE LATEST: https://t.co/ZkuFivO2Wu https://t.co/nAAF2z9U3u
"Failures in recruitment and vetting meant Couzens was able to continue a policing career which should have been denied to him." The inquiry on Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens who murdered Sarah Everard is underway. https://t.co/uNT815X9C1 📺 Sky 501, and YouTube https://t.co/PViMBoyQtg
'How the hell did this happen?' Mayor Sadiq Khan and @mrjamesob react as a public inquiry condemns the police for ‘repeated failures’ to stop Sarah Everard’s killer. https://t.co/nDJRHYdnhF
BREAKING: A long-awaited review by Dame Elish Angiolini into Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens has called for a radical overhaul of the police vetting system. https://t.co/1wmopUFgYh
Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer and opportunities to stop him continuing his career were missed, a report has said. Tap below to read more: https://t.co/CcjPFmFotM
Inquiry finds ‘repeated’ UK police failure to stop officer who killed Sarah Everard https://t.co/rwKq2MukQu
Read in full: Sarah Everard's family statement https://t.co/ZuXSkXxsNc
'She died because he was a police officer': Sarah Everard's family welcome findings of Couzens inquiry https://t.co/NNAnqqeATV
New: Wayne Couzens had been reported to police eight times, including allegedly attempting to kidnap someone at knife point and sexually assaulting a child, before he kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard. With @davidwoode
Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer - inquiry https://t.co/Scgslt2Z8e
Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer and things must change now to stop it happening again, inquiry says https://t.co/8T7w7TNwAE
BREAKING: Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens should never have been given a job as a police officer, inquiry finds https://t.co/qsjXrtpjjS https://t.co/FX1UVgdjqj
The family of Sarah Everard said they believed the 33-year-old died because Wayne Couzens was a police officer, adding: “She would never have got into a stranger’s car” as they welcomed the inquiry’s findings. https://t.co/DHVyJJH54n
Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens should never have been given a job as a police officer and chances to stop the sexual predator were repeatedly ignored and missed, an inquiry has found. https://t.co/fZNvFVp65D
Wayne Couzens: Sarah Everard's killer sexually assaulted a child, report reveals. Sarah Everard’s killer passed police vetting despite history of sexual offending dating back to 1995 https://t.co/rvu7LbaiUW
BREAKING: Wayne Couzens was able to murder Sarah Everard because the Met and other forces ignored a succession of “red flags” that should have stopped him being in the police, a damning report concluded https://t.co/Y5Z8XMV0kA
BREAKING: Report shows Wayne Couzens shouldn't have been a police officer https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube https://t.co/XqVICuDbu1
The family of Sarah Everard have issued a statement as a damning report found red flags to stop her police officer killer were missed, saying “We believe that Sarah died because he was a police officer, she would never have got into a stranger’s car.”
'Radical overhaul' of police needed to stop another Wayne Couzens hiding in 'plain sight' https://t.co/XEY2PypJk7
#Breaking Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens should never have been given a job as a police officer and chances to stop the sexual predator were repeatedly ignored and missed, an inquiry has found https://t.co/lWKMhaACaO
Wayne Couzens’ deviant behaviour may have started almost 30 years before the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard and includes a second alleged kidnapping, a damning report has found https://t.co/WCIoFhg5Kq
🚨 BREAKING: Sarah Everard’s killer passed police vetting despite history of sexual offending dating back to 1995. Read more ⬇️ https://t.co/sGyafxtdQx https://t.co/PzalP0EQyb
#Breaking The family of Sarah Everard said they believed the 33-year-old died because Wayne Couzens was a police officer, adding: “She would never have got into a stranger’s car” as they welcomed the inquiry’s findings https://t.co/t86fW2tToc
Sarah Everard’s killer ‘abusing women long before he joined the police’ as public inquiry slams repeated failures to stop him, reports @Fraser_Knight https://t.co/q11SS0HD50
An independent report into the failings that enabled the Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens to murder Sarah Everard, 33, is being published on Tuesday Follow for updates ⬇️ 🔓 This story is free to read https://t.co/AAtmdrMkcf
BREAKING: Damning report into how Wayne Couzens was allowed to join police and go on to murder Sarah Everard reveals horrifying failures. Met overlooked his repeated indecent exposure. He should 'never have been made a police officer'. Recommends major overhaul of vetting.
An independent report on whether red flags were missed about killer police officer Wayne Couzens is due to be published on Thursday. The former armed Metropolitan police officer will never be released from prison after he abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021.… https://t.co/8t8JYZyWCl
An independent report on whether red flags were missed about killer police officer Wayne Couzens is due to be published https://t.co/j9kWYx2P86
An independent report on whether red flags were missed about killer police officer Wayne Couzens is due to be published on Thursday ✍️: @MargaretDavisPA & @FloraThompsonPA https://t.co/SvGhWvLfkh
🔴 Met to overhaul how they deal with officers who flash after damning Wayne Couzens report https://t.co/i5oHAHp6Ob