Sarah Everard had to be identified by dental records after her body was found in builders' bags, court hears

Sarah Everard had to be identified by dental records after her body was found in builders' bags, it was revealed in court today (March 13).

Wayne Couzens, the Metropolitan Police officer charged with kidnapping and murdering the 33-year-old, was present at the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

After the 48-year-old's arrest on Tuesday, he was remanded in custody this afternoon as he awaits another hearing at the Old Bailey next week on March 16.

On Friday, Couzens, a firearms officer from Scotland Yard's elite Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, was charged with kidnapping and murdering Everard.

Everard vanished on March 3 after walking home to Brixton, south London, from her friend's home in Clapham – a journey that should have taken 50 minutes.

Credit: PA Images

The York native had left her friend's house at about 9pm GMT and was last seen in footage from a doorbell camera not long after 9:30PM. She was seen walking alone in the footage.

During the journey, the marketing executive had spoken to her boyfriend Josh Lowth, 33, on the phone and they made plans to meet the following day. When her friends and family were later unable to reach her, she was reported missing.

A week later, a body was discovered in an area of woodland not far from Ashford, Kent. Yesterday, Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave confirmed that the body belonged to Everard.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Ephgrave said per the BBC:

"As you know, on Wednesday evening detectives investigating the disappearance of Sarah Everard discovered a body secreted in woodland in Kent.

"The body has now been recovered and formal identification procedure has now been undertaken. I can now confirm that it is the body of Sarah."

Ephgrave went on to say that his "thoughts and prayers, and those of the entire organization" were with Everard's family "at this awful time".

Flowers left at the bandstand on Clapham Common in memory of Sarah Everard. Credit: PA Images

He added: "Specialist officers remain in constant contact with Sarah's family, and will continue to support them throughout the investigation and beyond.

"That investigation continues at a pace and we have hundreds of officers working round the clock to establish the full circumstances of Sarah's disappearance and her murder."

Ephgrave continued: "I would like at this stage to pay tribute to Sarah's family for their fortitude and forbearance through what can only have been the most intensely difficult few days, our thoughts remain with him as this matter progresses.

"The investigation continues, of course, supported by hundreds of officers from across the Met, as well as colleagues in Kent Police."