How Wayne Couzens offended in plain sight for decades before murdering Sarah Everard
Wayne Couzens served in three police forces before he murdered Sarah Everard and was sentenced to die in prison.
Concerns were raised about his behaviour at numerous stages both before and during his time as a police officer.
Now, an inquiry has found the former Metropolitan Police officer attempted to kidnap a woman at knifepoint, was suspected of sexually assaulting a child, and exposed himself to members of the public multiple times in the years before he kidnapped, raped and killed Miss Everard.
Here is a timeline, for the first time, outlining the scale of his offending and the numerous missed opportunities to stop him.
1990s
While he was in his early 20s Couzens is suspected of committing a “very serious sexual assault of a child barely in her teens”.
1995
Couzens kidnaps a woman at knifepoint in North London. The incident was reported to police on the day but the perpetrator was never caught. The woman came forward to police after seeing photographs of Couzens following his arrest for the murder of Miss Everard.
2002
Couzens joins the Kent Special Constabulary.
Summer 2004
Allegation Couzens masturbated in front of a teenage girl in South London while driving. The Met Police was made aware of the offence in March 2021, after Miss Everard’s murder.
2006/07
Couzens is suspected of raping a woman at a singles night at a bar in east London. The victim came forward after the murder of Miss Everard.
Nov 21 2008
Couzens exposed himself to a woman in south London and while the offence was reported at the time no suspect was identified.
June 9 2015
Kent Police allegedly fails to investigate an indecent exposure incident linked to Couzens. A member of the public informed the force a man had driven past him in Dover wearing no clothing from the waist down.
September 2018
Couzens transfers to the Metropolitan Police Service, from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary where he had worked since 2011.
October 2019
Allegation of rape in October 2019 which took place under a bridge in London.
2019
Couzens sexually assaulted a man in a bar in Kent. The complainant was in drag and wearing a blonde wig when Couzens grabbed him inappropriately. When the victim remonstrated with him, Couzens said he was a police officer and invited him outside to perform a sex act.
2019
Couzens and his wife buy a small area of woodland off Fridd Lane in Ashford, Kent.
February 2019
The PC joins a response team covering the Bromley area of south London, having initially served in a Safer Neighbourhood Team.
February 2020
He moves to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command to patrol diplomatic premises, mainly embassies.
Nov 13 2020
He steps out of a woodland area in Deal, Kent, naked and masturbates as a woman cycles past.
Between Jan 22 and Feb 1 2021
Couzens exposes himself to a female employee at a drive-through restaurant in Kent.
Between Jan 30 and Feb 6 2021
He exposed himself to another female employee at a drive-through.
Feb 3 2021
Another indecent exposure incident.
Feb 14 and Feb 27 2021
Couzens again exposes himself to two female staff members at a drive-through fast food restaurant in Kent. He used his own credit card to pay and was driving his own car.
Feb 28 2021
Couzens books a white Vauxhall Crossland from a car hire firm in Dover, Kent, using his personal details and bank card.
March 2 2021: 7pm
Couzens starts a 12-hour shift at his base in West Brompton, west London.
March 3 2021
Then-Met Pc Samantha Lee goes to the fast food restaurant but does not trace Couzens’ car, despite the restaurant manager claiming his registration number is visible in CCTV footage. She is later sacked and barred from working as a police officer.
March 3 2021
Later that evening Couzens uses his status as a police officer to trick Miss Everard into thinking she can be arrested for breaking lockdown rules in place at the time. After murdering her, Couzens hides her body in woodland near Ashford in Kent.
March 9 2021
Couzen’s phone is wiped of all data about 40 minutes before he is arrested on suspicion of murder. In a brief interview, he tells a false story about being threatened by an Eastern European gang.
July 9 2021
Couzens pleads guilty to murder when he appears at the Old Bailey by video link from Belmarsh high-security jail.
Sept 30 2021
Couzens receives a whole life order when he is sentenced, with Lord Justice Fulford justifying the punishment because the murderer’s use of his position as a police officer to detain Ms Everard was the “vital factor”.
October 2021
Couzens applies for leave to appeal against his sentence.
November 2021
The Home Office establishes an independent inquiry led by Dame Elish Angiolini to look at Ms Everard’s murder, with the first part focusing on Couzens and whether any potential risks or red flags were missed during his time in the police.
March 2022
Couzens is charged with four counts of indecent exposure over alleged incidents in January and February 2021.
July 2022
The Court of Appeal rejects his appeal against his sentence.
Feb 13 2023
Couzens pleads guilty to three counts of indecent exposure in Kent between November 2020 and February 2021.
March 6 2023
He is sentenced to 19 months for the offences, although he is already serving a whole life jail term for Miss Everard’s murder and will never be released.
March 21 2023
The Casey Review, commissioned by the Met in the wake of Miss Everard’s murder, finds that the force is institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynist, and that there may be more officers like Couzens and rapist David Carrick in its ranks.
May 2023
Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct calls for a national system to ensure all forces are told about criminal allegations made against serving officers, in light of the indecent exposure accusations against Couzens.
Feb 29 2024
A report on the first part of the Angiolini Inquiry, looking at incidents during his career and whether red flags were missed, is published.