Sarah Everard – latest: PM says police have ‘problem’ handling violence against women amid outrage at advice
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “there is a problem” with the way cases of violence against women and girls are handled.
His interview with broadcasters came amid debates over how Wayne Couzens – who used his police powers to kidnap, rape and murder Sarah Everard – was allowed to become and remain a Metropolitan Police officer.
Mr Johnson said: “I do think that we can trust the police. And I think the police do a wonderful, wonderful job.
“But there is a problem. And there is a problem in the way we handle rape, domestic violence, sexual violence and the way we handle the complaints of women and girls. It’s overwhelmingly women and girls.”
He added: “The problem is we have too few prosecutions for rape and too few successful prosecutions, too few convictions.
“Yesterday I got together the crime and justice taskforce, again, and what we’re trying to do is compress that timetable between a woman’s complaint about what has happened and any action, whether it’s the court proceeding, or the conviction, or whatever.
“Because the time from report to referral, from referral to the court proceedings, from court proceedings to the conclusion, all three of those segments is far too long.
“And what you’re seeing is the whole system snarled up with evidential problems, with data issues, with mobile phones disclosure, all that kind of stuff, and it’s a nightmare for the women concerned. So we’ve got to fix it.”
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Sarah Everard: Family statement in full
Police commissioner accused of ‘horrifically offensive’ remarks
North Yorkshire commissioner Philip Allott has been accused of making “horrifically offensive” remarks after he told BBC Radio York Sarah Everard “never should have submitted” to arrest.
“First of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can’t be arrested,” he said, before adding: “She should never have been arrested and submitted to that.”
Lucy Arnold, from campaign group Reclaim the Streets, said: “I think frankly that was a horrifically offensive thing to say. Does anyone really feel like they can stand up to a police officer?”
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has tweeted: “These comments are appalling. It’s not up to women to fix this. It’s not us who need to change.”
“The problem is male violence, not women’s ‘failure’ to find ever more inventive ways to protect ourselves against it. For change to happen, this needs to be accepted by everyone.”
Party calls for inquiry into ‘national threat’ of male violence
“Male violence against women and girls must be treated as a national threat,” the Women’s Equality Party has said.
In a video, a spokeswoman said that they “demand an inquiry into misogyny in the police” after the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a police officer.
The party is calling on women to protest online by posting their experiences on Twitter at 8pm using the hashtag #EnoughIsEnough.
Commissioner ‘wholeheartedly apologises’ for radio remarks
North Yorkshire police, fire and crime commissioner Philip Allott has apologised for his remarks on radio regarding the Sarah Everard case which have been slammed as “horrifically offensive”.
He had told BBC Radio York that Everard “never should have submitted” to arrest by her kidnapper, rapist and murderer Wayne Couzens – a Metropolitan Police officer.
“First of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can’t be arrested,” he said, before adding: “She should never have been arrested and submitted to that.”
Lucy Arnold, from campaign group Reclaim the Streets, said: “I think frankly that was a horrifically offensive thing to say.”
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that the comments “are appalling”.
Mr Allott later apologised for his remarks by posting on Twitter: “I would like to wholeheartedly apologise for my comments on BBC Radio York earlier today, which I realise have been insensitive and wish to retract them in full.”
Adam Forrest has the full report
Police chief condemned over ‘horrifically offensive’ Sarah Everard remarks
North Yorkshire commissioner apologises after saying women ‘need to be streetwise’
Cressida Dick must be held accountable, says former head of Met
Met commissioner Cressida Dick must be held accountable for an “appalling series of blunders” that allowed Wayne Couzens to serve as an armed police officer, a former head of the Metropolitan Police said.
John Stevens said Ms Dick and former home secretaries should consider whether they bear any responsibility for failures that allowed Couzens to be a Met Police officer.
Couzens had allegedly shared misogynistic and racist material on a WhatsApp group with five serving officers, including three from the Met, months before he used his police powers to kidnap, rape, and murder Sarah Everard in March.
He has also been linked to three instances of indecent exposure, including one six years ago when he was at Kent police, but no action was taken and he was allowed to pass vetting processes to become an armed Met officer, mainly guarding embassies.
Mr Stevens told The Guardian: “Both the commissioner and the politicians who have cut resources to the Met must take some responsibility.”
PM promises to ‘fix’ criminal justice system for women and girls
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “there is a problem” with the way cases of rape and violence against women and girls are handled.
In an interview with broadcasters, he said: “I do believe in the police. I do think that we can trust the police. And I think the police do a wonderful, wonderful job.
“But there is a problem. And there is a problem in the way we handle rape, domestic violence, sexual violence and the way we handle the complaints of women and girls. It’s overwhelmingly women and girls.
“And, although the incidence of some of these serious crimes is not actually going up in the way that you might think – we are having success in getting many crime types down – the problem is we have too few prosecutions for rape and too few successful prosecutions, too few convictions.
“And so yesterday I got together the crime and justice taskforce, again, and what we’re trying to do is compress that timetable between a woman’s complaint about what has happened and any action, whether it’s the court proceeding, or the conviction, or whatever.
“Because the time from report to referral, from referral to the court proceedings, from court proceedings to the conclusion, all three of those segments is far too long.
“And what you’re seeing is the whole system snarled up with evidential problems, with data issues, with mobile phones disclosure, all that kind of stuff, and it’s a nightmare for the women concerned. So we’ve got to fix it.”
PM claims more policewomen would make ‘fundamental change'
Boris Johnson said that his government is putting “a lot more money” into recruiting more women as police officers.
Speaking to broadcasters, the PM claimed that recruiting more female officers can make a “fundamental change”, as well as more funding for “safer streets” such as through the improvement of CCTV.
He said about 37 per cent of new recruits to the police force last year were female, adding: “I think it’s even higher this year, above 40 per cent, we hope. And that will make a lasting difference to the culture of the police force.”
Met Police officers in WhatsApp chat with Couzens still on duty
Police officers who allegedly shared misogynistic, racist and homophobic messages with Wayne Couzens in a WhatsApp group are on restricted duties, The Guardian reports.
Two of the three Metropolitan police officers allegedly involved in the chat group are still allowed to be on duty after being placed under criminal investigation, according to the newspaper citing a confirmation from the force.
Couzens had allegedly shared messages in the group with five serving officers, including three from the Met, months before he used his police powers to kidnap, rape, and murder Sarah Everard in March.
The Met’s decision to put their officers on restricted duties contrasts with the actions of the other two police forces, which decided to suspend their officers, who faced less serious allegations, while the investigation continues.
Met’s advice for being apprehended by one plain-clothed officer
The Metropolitan Police have urged people to be wary when approached by a person purporting to be a plain-clothed police officer.
It tweeted that people should ask the officer for proof of ID and questions such as “where are your colleagues? Where have you come from? Why are you here? Exactly why are you stopping or talking to me?”
The force also said that people being apprehended should “seek some independent verification” of what the officer says, such as by asking the operator on the police walkie-talkie.
The Met adds: “If you feel you are in real and imminent danger and you do not believe the officer is who they say they are seek assistance by shouting out to a passer-by or if you are in the position to do so call 999.”
A Twitter user called Gary Smith said: “How do I dial 999 if I’ve got handcuffs on/had my phone siezed, please?”
Others said that it is not the public’s “responsibility” or “job to police the police.”
More details from political editor Andrew Woodcock here
Met Police face backlash over ‘laughable’ advice to women after Everard murder
Demands to make tackling violence against women and girls a statutory priority in all areas