Wayne Couzens, the murderer of Sarah Everard, will spend the rest of his life in prison after he was sentenced to a whole life term on Thursday, September 30.
Over the course of a two-day hearing at the Old Bailey Court in England, it was revealed that the former police officer used his Metropolitan Police-issue warrant card and handcuffs to abduct the 33-year-old marketing executive as she was walking home in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3, 2021.
Lord Justice Fulford described Everard as a "wholly blameless victim of a grotesquely executed [crime while] she was simply walking home".
Everard's kidnap, rape, and murder ignited a national reckoning regarding women's safety in public, with the case dominating social media since missing person posters of the 33-year-old went viral.
It prompted an onslaught of women to come forward regarding their own experiences of sexual harassment and assault, with the hashtag #ReclaimTheNight trending on Twitter.
Here is a timeline of the case.
2015 — Indecent exposure incident
In 2015, Kent Police allegedly failed to investigate an indecent exposure incident linked to Couzens, 48.
February 2021 — further allegations of indecent exposure
Couzens was further linked to two allegations of indecent exposure in London, which Scotland Yard reportedly failed to investigate.
On the 10th of February, The Guardian reports that the former police officer ordered a "police standard-issue handcuff key with double locking pin" for £2.49, as well as a roll of self-adhesive film advertised as a carpet protector from Amazon.
Prosecutors claim that this was part of an "array of equipment" that was used to convince Everard that he was on duty at the time of her kidnap.
On the 28th, he booked a white Vauxhall Astra from a car rental service in Dover, Kent. He uses his personal details and bank card.
March 2 — Couzens starts a 12-hour shift
At 7 PM on March 2, Couzens started his last 12-hour shift, which ran to 7 AM on March 3. At the time, he was posted at the US embassy, where he served as an armed officer in the Metropolitan's elite parliamentary and diplomatic protection group.
March 3 — The day of Everard's disappearance
Around 4:45 PM, Couzens drove to Dover to pick up the vehicle he had booked previously. He had reportedly informed his family that he was working.
Couzens then purchased a 14-pack of hair bands from Tesco in Kensington, west London, as seen by CCTV footage. Prosecutors argued that they were bought "for the purposes of the planned kidnap and rape".
On the day of her disappearance, 33-year-old Everard visited a friend in Clapham Junction. On the way, she is captured purchasing a bottle of wine in a Sainsbury's in Brixton Hill, south London.
At 9 PM, Everard leaves her friend's home to walk home. The journey was roughly two and a half miles, and would have taken around 50 minutes. During this time, she called her boyfriend, Josh Lowth, for just over 14 minutes.
CCTV footage shows Everard alone at 9:15 PM at the junction of Bowood Road and the South Circular. In the second sighting, at 9:28 PM, she is still spotted alone.
Several minutes later, at 9:35 PM, a bus camera portrays two individuals on Poynders Road, standing near Couzens' car, which was parked with hazard lights flashing. Three minutes later, a bus camera shows the car with its two front doors open.
After spotting Everard while "hunting for a lone young female to kidnap and rape," per prosecutors, Couzens is believed to have shown her his police warrant card, and cited a fake Covid-19 lockdown breach. He handcuffed her, and she was placed in the back of the vehicle.
March 4 — Everard is reported missing
At 8:30 AM, Couzens returned the rented car to Enterprise rentals. He drove over 300 miles in the vehicle.
A fire is spotted in Hoad's Wood at 12:40 PM — which is consistent with the location where the former police officer burned Everard's body after murdering her.
Everard was first reported missing by her boyfriend at 8:10 PM
March 5 — The case is escalated
The following day, Everard's case as escalated as the Specialist Crime Unit is called in.
Meanwhile, Couzens reports to work that he is contending with stress — he was due to be off until March 8.
Around 2 PM he travels to a B&Q store in Dover where he purchases two green rubble bags.
March 6 — Couzens says he no longer wants to carry a firearm
Couzens emails his line manager, saying that he no longer wants to carry a firearm on duty, before ordering a tarpaulin and a bungee cargo net on Amazon via next day delivery.
March 9 — Couzens is questioned
At 7:11 PM, Couzens wipes his phone of all data.
Then, at 7:45 PM, three police officers arrive at his home in Deal. Couzens is handcuffed before he is interviewed.
Initially, he denies ever seeing Everard before fabricating a story about being in financial trouble, and an Eastern European gang threatening and forcing him to abduct a girl.
CCTV footage below shows the moment Couzens stopped Everard:March 10 — Everard's body is found
Everard's remains were found in a wooded area in Ashford, Kent, at around 4:45 PM — just 100 meters from land that was owned by the Couzens family.
She was later formally identified through dental records.
March 12 — Couzens charged
At 8:45 PM, Couzens is charged.
June 8 — He pleads guilty
On June 8, Couzens pleads guilty to the kidnap, rape, and murder of Everard when he appears at the Old Baily via video link from Belmarsh high-security prison.
September 30 — Couzens sentenced to full life order
Couzens was given life in prison on September 30 for Everard's murder.
At the sentencing, Lord Justice Fulford said that the seriousness of the "devastating, tragic and wholly brutal" case was so "exceptionally high" that it necessitated a whole life order.
"You've betrayed your family and there's no evidence of genuine contrition," he said to Couzens.
Speaking to the Old Bailey, he continued: "The misuse of a police officer's role such as occurred in this case in order to kidnap, rape and murder a lone victim is of equal seriousness as a murder for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause."
Everard's family has said that they are satisfied with the life sentence — however, "nothing can make things better, nothing can bring Sarah back... knowing he will be imprisoned forever brings some relief.
"Sarah lost her life needlessly and cruelly and all the years of life she had yet to enjoy were stolen from her. Wayne Couzens held a position of trust as a police officer and we are outraged and sickened that he abused this trust in order to lure Sarah to her death.
"The world is a safer place with him imprisoned. It is almost seven months since Sarah died and the pain of losing her is overwhelming. We miss her all the time. We hold her safe in our hearts."
