Wayne Couzens

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Wayne Couzens (born December 1972) is a former British police officer responsible for the kidnapping, rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021.

Biography

Wayne Couzens was born in 1972 in Dover, the son of garage owner Ray Couzens. He also has a younger brother called David. The Daily Mail reports that he attended Castlemount Secondary School, where he had a reputation as a bully. It is claimed that Couzens once shot a fellow pupil in the groin with a BB gun before insulting him and laughing in his face. Former pupils told the Mail that they were not surprised Couzens ended up being a murderer.

At seventeen years old, Couzens began working at his father's garage and continued working there until 2002, when he enlisted in the Territorial Army. A former recruit, who chose to remain anonymous, described Couzens as 'enthusiastic' and said he 'loved blowing things up', but was disturbed by Couzens's apparent obsession with internet pornography. Couzens later met Ukrainian lab tech Elena over the internet; the two got married in 2006 and had two children.

In December 2006 Couzens joined Kent Police Service, but eventually left and joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, protecting the Dungeness Power Station. After failing an annual fitness test in September 2018, he joined the Metropolitan Police in the Bromley area.

Couzens was a member of the diplomatic protection squad, protecting government officials and buildings. On 28 February 2021, Couzens was accused of flashing a woman in a South London takeaway. He was placed under investigation but was allowed to keep his job and remain on duty.

On 3 March 2021, three days later, Couzens stalked 33-year-old Sarah Everard through London before abducting her and taking her back to his home in Kent, where he raped her before strangling her to death. He then left her body in Hoad's Wood, where it was found after a seven-day manhunt. During this manhunt Couzens was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping after CCTV footage from a London bus was found showing Couzens's car driving away from where Everard was last seen. He was released, only to be rearrested on murder charges following the discovery of Everard's body.

On 11 March Couzens was found in his cell with a self-inflicted head injury. He was hospitalised but survived and was charged with kidnapping and murder on 12 March. On 18 June Couzens changed his plea on kidnapping and rape charges to guilty, as well as taking responsibility for her death; however he did not enter a plea for the murder charge.

On 09 July Couzens pleaded guilty to killing Everard while appearing in court via video link from Belmarsh Prison. On September 30 he was sentenced to life without parole. He later appealed alongside fellow murderer Ian Stewart, but his appeal was rejected.