Wayne Couzens: Sarah Everard’s killer to be charged with two offences of exposure

Offences alleged to have taken place in June 2015 and November 2020

Wayne Couzens has already appeared in court over four other exposure charges (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens is to be charged with two further flashing offences.

Couzens is currently serving a whole-life sentence for kidnapping, raping and murdering the 33-year-old marketing executive last March, when he was a serving Metropolitan Police officer.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Friday that it had authorised two further charges of exposure against the 49-year-old, following a referral from Scotland Yard.

He is alleged to have committed the offences in June 2015 and November 2020.

Couzens has already appeared in court charged with four other incidents of alleged exposure, said to have taken place in Kent in the months prior to Ms Everard’s death.

Those charges – which he denies – state he allegedly “intentionally exposed his genitals intending that someone would see them and be caused alarm and distress”.

The incidents are alleged to have taken place on four occasions in Swanley last year – between 22 January and 1 February, 30 January and 6 February, and on 14 February and 27 February.

At a hearing in April, Couzens opted to be tried by a jury at the Crown Court, and the case was sent to the Old Bailey.

Announcing the authorisation of the fresh charges, the head of the CPS special crime division, Rosemary Ainslie, said: “The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges to a court to consider.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Wayne Couzens are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”

Couzens, who is a former armed officer with the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 2 September.

Additional reporting by PA