Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Report due on whether red flags about killer police officer were missed

Wayne Couzens received a whole life jail term for murdering Sarah Everard in March 2021.

Margaret Davis
Thursday 29 February 2024 02:45 GMT
Dame Elish Angiolini has looked at whether potential risks posed by Wayne Couzens were missed during his policing career (Metropolitan Police/PA)
Dame Elish Angiolini has looked at whether potential risks posed by Wayne Couzens were missed during his policing career (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Media)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

An independent report on whether red flags were missed about killer police officer Wayne Couzens is due to be published on Thursday.

The former armed Metropolitan police officer will never be released from prison after he abducted, raped and murdered marketing executive Sarah Everard in March 2021.

A report on the first part of a Home Office-commissioned inquiry into his policing career by Dame Elish Angiolini is set to be published on Thursday.

The 51-year-old used his status as a police officer to trick Miss Everard into thinking he could arrest her for breaking lockdown rules in place at the time.

After the harrowing killing, it emerged there had been concerns about Couzens’ behaviour while he was a police officer, with reports he was nicknamed “the rapist”.

He joined Kent Police as a special constable in 2002, became an officer with the Civil Nuclear constabulary in 2011 and then moved to the Met in 2018.

Couzens indecently exposed himself three times before the murder, including twice at a drive-through fast food restaurant in Kent in the days before the killing.

He was not caught despite driving his own car and using his own credit card at the time.

Then-Metropolitan Police constable Samantha Lee was sacked and barred from being a police officer after it was found she had not properly investigated the incidents.

Couzens was also later revealed to have been part of a WhatsApp group with fellow officers that shared disturbing racist, homophobic and misogynist remarks.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in