Sarah Everard inquest opens after first post-mortem ‘inconclusive’

Inquest has begun in Maidstone, Kent

An inquest into Sarah Everard’s death has opened in an attempt to discover what happened to the 33-year-old.

Her parents and siblings were present at the County Hall in Maidstone, Kent, where the inquest is taking place.

Inquiries as to her cause of death are ongoing after an initial post-mortem examination was inconclusive, a coroner said. A second post-mortem is underway.

The hearing took less than half an hour in total with proceedings opened and then adjourned, pending the outcome of the criminal investigation into Ms Everard’s death.

The inquest was opened by senior coroner Patricia Harding who expressed her sympathies to the family members.

Meanwhile, other parts of Kent also being searched in an attempt to find any clues.

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The town of Sandwich, on the Kent coast, had a large police presence on Monday with officers spotted searching a shopping trolley shelter outside a Co-op supermarket. They were also seen looking under vehicles.

A small stretch of water is also being looked over by specialist divers who have come from Devon and Cornwall.

Ms Everard disappeared on 3 March while walking home from a visit to her friend in Clapham, south London.

A week later her body was located in a woodland near Ashford, Kent. Serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with her murder.