Sarah Everard murder: Former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens 'arrested' Sarah for lockdown breach before her murderWayne Couzens arrested and handcuffed Sarah Everard before he raped and murdered her, a court has heard.
The Old Bailey heard Couzens, who was off duty, posed as an undercover police officer when he "hunted for a lone young female to rape and kidnap."
Couzens is at the court today to recieve his sentence after he admitted kidnapping, raping and killing the 33-year-old marketing executive at two Old Bailey appearances in June and July.
Couzens snatched Sarah from the street as she walked in south London in early March.
Her body was discovered a week later more than 80 miles away in Great Chart, near Ashford. A post mortem report revealed she had been strangled.
He will be sentenced tomorrow.
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said it was one of the most widley publicised cases, spurring the hashtag “she was just walking home.”
But he said a more fitting five-word summary would be “deception, kidnap, rape, strangulation, fire.”
Miss Everard had breached Covid protocol by visiting a friend for dinner and wine, making her “more vulnerable” for Couzens to prey upon, explained the prosecutor.
Couzens likely used lockdown rules as an excuse to stop her, handcuff her, then drive her 80 miles where he raped, strangled and burned her body.
Mr Little said: "The defendant's plot of land is very close to, and in the same woods, where he was to burn Sarah Everard's body after he murdered her.
"He then moved her body in green bags that he had purchased specifically for that task to a pond deeper into the woods, it was only about 130 metres from his plot."
Eye-witnesses saw Couzens “detaining Sarah by fraud” using his warrant card and handcuffs, he added.
“That was the start of the ordeal, the 80-mile journey whilst detained which was to lead first to her rape and then her murder.
“At some point fairly soon after driving from the pavement onto the South Circular and having not gone to a police station, Sarah Everard must have realised her fate,” he explained.
Miss Everard's boyfriend described her as “extremely intelligent, savvy and streetwise” and “not a gullible person”. He said she would not have got into a vehicle with a stranger unless she was forced.
CCTV and data from Couzen’s mobile phone captured the journey towards Kent, with the hire car stopping near Military Road, Dover at about 11.30pm.
About five minutes later Couzen’s Seat was captured on camera leaving the area towards rural villages, before returning to Dover about an hour later.
Mr Little said it is likely this is when Couzens raped Miss Everard.
Couzens then stopped at BP Dover South Services on Limekilm Street and bought two bottles of water, apple juice, Lucozade orange and a carrier bag.
It was “more than likely” Miss Everard was murdered by then Mr Little explained, adding: “To have left her alive even in the boot of the Seat, would have been “risky or foolhardy if she made any noise.”
The court heard Couzens the next day bought a hot chocolate and cake at Costa, then casually made a call to a vet to book an appointment for his dog.
Meanwhile, shortly after noon an eye-witness saw “a strong, intense flame, which was not particularly high, which did not have the appearance of a typical woodland fire,” explained Mr Little.
“This is consistent with the location where the defendant burnt Miss Everard’s body, clothing and possessions using the petrol he purchased earlier that day.”
Couzens took his wife and children to the same woods days after, then went back to burn Miss Everard’s body. He returned again to hide it, the court heard.
“The defendant took his family to the very area, allowing his children to play in close proximity where Sarah Everard’s body had been dumped, in the pond,” Mr Little said.
Leading up to the family visit, Couzens bought builders’ bags from B&Q in Dover, alongside tarpaulin and a bungee cargo net from Amazon, for next day delivery.
As publicity for Miss Everard’s disappearance intensified, officers were able to trace the hire vehicle with CCTV.
Couzens had rented the Vauxhall Crossland from Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Dover for the night Miss Everard vanished, records showed.
The revelation led detectives to his home in Freemen’s Way, Deal, on March 9, but they didn’t approach for two hours.
It would give Couzens the chance to reset his Galaxy Note 10 to factory settings in the first step of an elaborate ploy to deceive Scotland Yard.
When officers arrested Couzens he denied knowing Miss Everard however, asked if he knew her whereabouts, he said he was “in financial ****.”
The court heard Couzens claimed he had been “leant on” by a gang, which threatened his family, to kidnap and hand them girls.
Couzens has not reacted to any of the shocking revelations as they are heard in court. He's been sat wearing a mask with his head own and only spoke to confirm his name.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/deal/news/couzens-arrested-and-handcuffed-everard-before-murder-254807/
