Sarah Everard: Serving Met Police officer, 48, arrested over disappearance

Detectives searching for missing woman Sarah Everard last night found human remains in woodland in Kent – as officers continued to quiz a serving Metropolitan Police colleague on suspicion of her murder.

The 33-year-old marketing executive ‘vanished into thin air’ after leaving a friend’s house in Clapham, south London at around 9pm on Wednesday, March 3.   

Wayne Couzens, a diplomatic protection officer based at the Palace of Westminster, was arrested on Tuesday night over the disappearance.

The father-of-two, 48, was yesterday being questioned over murder, kidnap and a separate case of indecent exposure.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick confirmed on Wednesday that human remains were found in the week-long search for Miss Everard.

However, she was unable to confirm whether the remains found in woodland in Ashford, Kent, were those of the missing woman, adding identification may take ‘considerable time.’

Dame Cressida said: ‘As you are aware, a man has been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

‘This evening detectives and search teams investigating Sarah’s disappearance have very sadly discovered what we believe at this stage to be human remains.’ 

Couzens was arrested for the kidnap of Miss Everard on Tuesday and later re-arrested on suspicion of her murder.

Police also revealed they are quizzing him on suspicion of indecent exposure against a second woman, unrelated to the missing 33-year-old. They would not say when or where the allegation related to. 

A woman, 39, was arrested at the same address in Kent on suspicion of assisting an offender. 

Describing the circumstances of Miss Everard’s abduction as ‘awful and wicked’, Dame Cressida said the arrest had ‘sent waves of shock and anger’ through the public and her force.   

She added: ‘The news today that it was a Metropolitan Police officer arrested on suspicion of Sarah’s murder has sent waves of shock and anger through the public and through the whole of the Met.

‘I speak on behalf of all my colleagues in the Met when I say we are utterly appalled at this dreadful news. Our job is to patrol the streets and to protect people.

‘The investigation is large, fast moving and very determined. We have hundreds of officers and staff who have been working around the clock.

‘Sarah’s disappearance in these awful and wicked circumstances is every family’s worst nightmare.

‘I know Londoners will want to know that it is thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets.

‘But I completely understand that despite this, women in London and the wider public – particularly those in the area where Sarah went missing – will be worried and may well be feeling scared.

‘You should expect to see continued high levels of police patrols in that area as well as very significant investigative activity.’

Officers were yesterday searching an abandoned mini golf park and leisure centre surrounded by acres of woodland near Ashford ahead of the news that human remains had been discovered.

Detectives had previously been focusing their efforts on searching grasses and ponds on Clapham Common – close to Sarah’s last known location on Poynders Road – but switched their attention when teams travelled 80 miles to Kent to make the arrests. 

What we know about the case so far: 

• Sarah went missing after visiting a friend’s house and speaking to her boyfriend Josh on the phone
• Officers were able to pinpoint her last known position after scouring CCTV around Clapham Common
• She went off the radar after being seen on Poynders Road, just off the green, shortly after 9.30pm
• Worried friends and family teamed up to help search for clues on the common over the past week
• Flats on Poynders Road were taped off and searched last night by uniformed police and forensic teams
• Just before midnight they arrived at Wayne Couzen’s Deal home and arrested him over the disappearance
• He was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and a woman, 39, on suspicion of assisting an offender
• On Tuesday Couzens re-arrested on suspicion of murdering Sarah and indecent exposure to another woman
• Police have also been combing his house and various wasteland areas near to where the married man lives
• Last night, Cressida Dick confirmed ‘human remains’ were found in woodland in Ashford, Kent 

It is understood detectives began to suspect father-of-two Couzens after a vehicle linked to him, reportedly a hire car, was allegedly seen on another motorist’s dashcam near to where Miss Everard vanished on March 3.  

The married police officer was never involved in the search operation for Sarah and it is thought he was detained at his home in Deal, Kent, shortly after finishing a relief shift at the US Embassy in Nine Elms, south west London.

This is around three miles from where Miss Everard was last seen at 9.30pm.   

A source last night claimed detectives believe Couzens may have spotted Miss Everard on the street in Clapham and abducted her, using his Metropolitan Police warrant card to persuade her to walk towards his vehicle.

They told the Sun: ‘The working hypothesis is that he saw Sarah on the street for the first time and kidnapped her.

‘At this stage it is thought the officer used his warrant card to entice Sarah towards his car. One theory is that he may have used the Covid lockdown as a pretext to engage with her and then snatched her.’

The movements of Couzens’ car were allegedly tracked by Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras.  

An insider told the Times that investigators were yesterday searching through electronic devices and social media messages to determine whether Couzens and Miss Everard were known to each other. 

The source said there was ‘so far no evidence’ of a link, adding: ‘You can’t be 100 per cent certain at this stage but so far it is a leading line of inquiry that Sarah didn’t know whoever attacked her.’

Couzens is a member of the elite Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection squad – a role that entitles him to carry a firearm and a Metropolitan Police warrant card.    

Formed in 2015, the unit is responsible for the protection of government owned buildings and embassies as well as ministers and visiting heads of state. 

As part of his armed duties protecting MPs and dignitaries, Couzens has provided static security for major public events attended by senior members of the Royal Family. 

All police recruits undergo careful vetting to check whether they have a criminal record when they join the force. To be accepted into the elite Westminster armed unit, officers must face rigorous tests and firearms training.

Detectives carried out a search of Couzens’ locker at the police base in the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, police began searching his £200,000 Kent home and garden while a £20,000 black Seat Exeo was taken away on a lowloader. Officers were also seen photographing a motorbike in the property’s garage.  

Police who arrested Couzens are understood to have taken a memory card as part of their investigation.

Detectives are said to have found the micro SD card during a search of the semi-detached property. Couzens had been recently digging part of his back garden up to install a pond, neighbours say.

John Chidwick, 67, who lives nearby, said: ‘He had some timber sheets going spare and I asked if I could have them to build a manure box for my allotment. He was a nice, friendly bloke and well spoken.

‘He hadn’t been living on the road all that long, about four years give or take, but seems to be a family man as most people around here are. I know he’s a police officer.’

Another neighbour said: ‘He kept himself to himself but I knew he was a policeman. I was shocked to see the police. They set up a tent and have been digging up the garden.’  

Earlier in the day, Met Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said investigators hoped Miss Everard was still alive following the constable’s arrest on suspicion of kidnap on Tuesday night.

But hours later, Couzens was rearrested on suspicion of murder in a devastating blow for Miss Everard’s family, who were said to be ‘absolutely distraught’.

They had been desperate for news as the Met continued to maintain publicly there was no evidence she had come to harm.

But it was suggested last night that plain clothes officers may have been secretly monitoring the suspect’s movements for days.   

The missing woman’s stunned uncle Nicholas told MailOnline: ‘It’s shocking and very upsetting. We were not expecting a development like this and it’s difficult to make sense of it.

‘I found out that a police officer had been arrested through the media last night. I spoke to my brother straight away and he was as shocked as me. The whole family is and all our friends. I spoke to him again this morning and we are waiting for an update from the police.

‘The police are doing everything they can and we are grateful to them. We are expecting an update from them later today. I could never have imagined that the investigation could have taken such an unexpected twist.’ 

Scotland Yard referred itself to the police watchdog last night over the arrest of its own officer and separately over the force’s actions after Miss Everard was reported missing. 

David Ladd, 48, said he saw his neighbour being arrested on Tuesday night. He added: ‘I came back last night from a motorbike ride about 10pm and there were a load of plain clothes police officers in the street.

‘They had arrested Wayne. I saw him in handcuffs being put in the back of an unmarked silver car. Uniformed officers turned up and have been outside Wayne’s house since then.

‘Wayne himself was a police officer, he told me when we had a chat about three months ago. Although what exactly he did in the force I don’t know.

‘I’d seen that he had a motorbike and I had some problems with the exhaust on my bike and so went to see him to see if he could help. He gave me a few tips on what to do and we got chatting.’ 

Pamela Cane, 77, who lives opposite Couzens, said the officer lived at the property with his wife, two young children and a pug dog.

Describing the officer as ‘very friendly’ and part of a ‘perfect family’, she said: ‘The whole situation is horrifying.

‘I can’t believe this. The arrest is more shocking because he’s a police officer. Wayne would also fix bikes in his garage. He was known for helping people with them.’

Couzens first joined Scotland Yard from Kent Police after working at a family garage repairs business in Dover and a spell in the Territorial Army. Said to have an exemplary record, he once heroically rescued an elderly woman from her flat when a fire broke out, a former neighbour claimed.

Last night relatives leapt to his defence, with his uncle Kevin Fowle saying: ‘It has come as a shock. He’s never done anything untoward. There’s no other information I can give you other than he is a fine upstanding man.’ 

Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin said on Tuesday that the arrest was a ‘significant development’ in the investigation, adding: ‘This is a fast moving investigation and we are doing everything we can to find Sarah.

‘We have seen an overwhelming response from the public and I repeat my request for anyone with information that may be relevant to come forward, no matter how insignificant it may seem.’

Mr Ephgrave added: ‘The arrest this evening is a serious and significant development. 

‘We will continue to work with all speed on this investigation but the fact that the arrested man is a serving Metropolitan Police officer is both shocking and deeply disturbing.

‘I understand there will be significant public concern but it is essential that the investigative team are given the time and space to continue their work.’ 

The Metropolitan Police added the Directorate of Professional Standards is aware of the arrests.

Miss Everard vanished after leaving a friend’s home in Leathwaite Road, Clapham to walk home to Brixton at around 9pm last Wednesday.

She was last seen wearing a green rain jacket, navy blue trousers with a white diamond pattern and turquoise and orange trainers. It is also believed she was wearing green earphones and a white beanie hat. 

Footage from a doorbell camera last captured images of Miss Everard as she walked along the A205 Poynders Road towards Tulse Hill at around 9.30pm. 

Officers sealed off a block of flats on Tuesday as they began a forensic investigation close to where the Durham University graduate was last seen. 

It was previously revealed Miss Everard spent a quarter of an hour on the phone making plans to see her boyfriend Josh Lowth the following day, before her mobile was either switched off or ran out of battery. 

Mr Lowth, 33, whose LinkedIn says he is Marketing Director at MA Exhibitions, later raised the alarm to police when she failed to meet him as she had arranged, her aunt confirmed. 

Speaking at Mr Lowth’s family home in Sidcup, Kent, his father Chris told MailOnline: ‘We are concerned, like everybody is. We really, really want to see her back.’

‘The whole family is obviously very worried about her and just wants her home safely.

‘We’re all pulling together and praying that this awful situation is quickly resolved. We want to thank the media for all their help.’ 

Mr Lowth shared a Facebook post appealing for anyone who knows where Miss Everand is to get in touch with police.  

He wrote: ‘Sarah is still missing. Please share this post to help us to find her. Today, more than ever, we miss our strong, beautiful friend.’ 

The 33-year-old is understood to have left her friend’s house through a back gate onto the A205 South Circular at around 9pm on March 3. 

She then began walking to her home address in Brixton, and should have returned home 50 minutes later. 

Miss Everard was last seen on CCTV at around 9.30pm last Wednesday.

Her father Jeremy, 67, a professor of electronics at York University, and mother Sue, 64, a charity worker, are understood to have travelled to London from their home in York. They are being helped in the search by her sister Katie and brother James.

In a statement, the family said: ‘With every day that goes by we are getting more worried about Sarah. 

‘She is always in regular contact with us and with her friends and it is totally out of character for her to disappear like this.

‘We long to see her and want nothing more than for her to be found safe and well.

‘We are so grateful to the police and all our friends for all they are doing.

‘We are desperate for news and if anyone knows anything about what has happened to her, we would urge you to please come forward and speak to the police. No piece of information is too insignificant.’ 

Ahead of the arrests on Tuesday, Ms Goodwin, who is leading the investigation, said there was no information to suggest Ms Everard had ‘come to any harm’.

She added: ‘We’ve released two new images of Sarah as we continue to search for her.

‘Please take a look at them and consider if you saw her on the night she went missing. I am interested in hearing from people who may have been in the area from 9.30pm onward.

‘I want to remain clear that at this time we have no information to suggest that Sarah has come to any harm and we retain an open mind as to the circumstances.

‘We share the wish of her family and friends to have her back safely with her loved ones.’

Police said they had received more than 120 calls from the public and visited 750 homes as part of their investigation into Miss Everard’s disappearance.

Ms Goodwin added: ‘We have seized a number of CCTV recordings but we know that there are likely to be many more out there.

‘Please, even if you’re not sure, check your doorbell or CCTV footage just in case it holds a clue.

‘I’m also asking delivery drivers or anyone with dashcam footage who would have been in the Poynders Road area at approximately 9.30pm on Wednesday to come forward.’

The investigation is being treated as a missing person’s enquiry, but due to its complex nature it is being led by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command. 

Superintendent Kris Wright, from the Met’s Central South Area Command Unit which covers Clapham, said on Tuesday: ‘I know that Sarah’s disappearance is weighing on people’s minds and the local community is, of course, concerned about her and may even feel worried.

‘I want them to know that they should expect to see more police officers on patrol in the area as we continue to search for Sarah and talk with the community. If you want to approach them about any concerns you have, please do so. 

‘We are here to support the community and we genuinely want to help in any way we can.’ 

Earlier this week it was reported that other women had come forward to say they had been attacked in the streets around where Miss Everard vanished.

The Metropolitan Police is said to have received a report of a sexual assault on a lone female on January 14, on a road half-a-mile away from where Miss Everard was last seen.

Other women have also reportedly come forward to the police, saying they were followed by groups of men in nearby Balham. Another woman claimed she was followed while walking with a buggy.

The incidents are not thought to be linked to Miss Everard’s disappearance, but were reported to detectives investigating the case following Scotland Yard’s appeal for information.  

Anyone who has seen Sarah or who has information that may assist the investigation should call the Incident Room on 0208 785 8244.

Information can also be provided to detectives using the Major Incident Portal or by calling Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

The desperate search that led to patch of desolate woodland: How police spent days trying to piece together Sarah Everard’s last known movements… as ‘human remains’ are found in Kent

By Sam Greenhill and Glen Keogh for the Daily Mail

The increasingly desperate search for Sarah Everard yesterday narrowed to rainswept woodland 55 miles from where she went missing.

As officers painstakingly combed 500-acre Hoad’s Wood, locals said it was often used as a dumping ground.

Two miles west of Ashford in Kent, the desolate spot is flanked by a railway line and an abandoned golf and paintballing centre.

Rob, a resident whose family owns part of the wood, said: ‘My family used to bury sheep in there in the old days. No one ever goes through it because it’s private.

‘It’s all bramble and trees.’

He said flytippers often dumped rubbish there, including old cars.

VANISHED AFTER VISITING FRIEND

The grim hunt unfolded a week after Miss Everard, a 33-year-old marketing manager, vanished as she walked home through south London. It is understood the police breakthrough came after officers examined CCTV footage.

Police spent days desperately trying to piece together Miss Everard’s last known movements.

Last Wednesday she visited a friend’s house in Leathwaite Road, Clapham, leaving there at about 9pm. The walk back to her flat in Brixton should have taken her about 50 minutes. But video footage from an estate agent’s CCTV camera near her home showed no sign of her.

From her friend’s house, Miss Everard is believed to have walked across Clapham Common. The ponds in the park were one of the first places searched, by officers in cold-water suits.

In her green rain jacket, blue and white diamond print trousers, blue and orange trainers and green earphones under a white beanie hat, Miss Everard cut a distinctive figure, and police appealed for anyone who might have seen her.

They issued an image of her from a supermarket CCTV camera buying wine on the way to her friend.

As she threaded her way through a network of residential streets, she spoke on the phone to her boyfriend Josh Lowth. Their conversation lasted about 15 minutes, ending shortly before 9.30pm.

THE DESPERATION OF HER FAMILY

Miss Everard comes from York, studied at Durham University, and moved to the capital for work around 12 years ago. Intelligent and outgoing, she works for a company that organises trade shows. Her brother James and sister Katie also live in London.

Her gut-wrenching disappearance plunged her family into frantic worry. Her father Jeremy, a professor of electronics at the University of York, and mother Sue, who has worked at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as a knowledge support officer, left their £700,000 York home to join the round-the-clock search for their daughter.

They asked the media and the public for help, saying: ‘With every day that goes by we are getting more worried about Sarah.

‘She is always in regular contact with us and with her friends and it is totally out of character for her to disappear like this. We long to see her and want nothing more than for her to be found safe and well.

‘No piece of information is too insignificant.’

Miss Everard’s sister wrote on Facebook: ‘No words. Please share and contact me if you hear anything.’ Mr Lowth begged people to help locate his ‘beautiful friend’.

DOORBELL CAMERA BREAKTHROUGH

Police upgraded the search to the murder squad, but stressed they were still treating it as a missing person case.

The breakthrough came on Poynders Road, a stretch of the capital’s busy South Circular, in Clapham. An image of Miss Everard was captured by a doorbell camera on a house along the road at around 9.30pm.

Police have not released this image, but it is believed to be the last time she was sighted. Cameras further along the same street failed to capture her.

Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, leading the investigation, had appealed for anyone with footage to come forward – especially anyone driving along Poynders Road.

The Met officer said: ‘The evidence that you have on your dash-cam could be absolutely vital to finding Sarah.’

On Tuesday, a police cordon went up and officers wearing forensic suits conducted fingertip searches along Poynders Road and a nearby housing estate close to Clapham South Tube.

Specialist divers and officers with sniffer dogs were seen looking in ponds in nearby Agnes Riley Gardens. Drains were also inspected during the searches.

HELICOPTERS AND TORCHLIT SEARCHES

Events moved quickly on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Neighbours noticed a Land Rover parked close to policeman Wayne Couzens’ house in the Kent coastal town of Deal, and thought it was being watched. Then around 9pm, some two dozen police swooped.

Locals reported the Couzens’ family garden was being dug up and a police tent erected. Meanwhile, simultaneous searches were launched in scrubland at Betteshanger Park north of Deal and at Hoad’s Wood, 30 miles away.

A homeowner near the latter said officers brandishing torches had descended on the former entrance of the now disused Great Chart Golf Course and adjacent derelict buildings around midnight.

He said: ‘The police were searching ditches and outbuildings. They knocked on our door and asked to search our buildings which of course was fine.

‘The officer said they were from the Met and looking for a ‘high risk missing person’.They had the helicopters out with their searchlights on until about 4am.

‘The area they’re searching has been empty for a couple of years. It’s so remote. Someone would have to know the area, to come here. We only ever get locals round here. It used to be a golf complex and a leisure facility with paintballing. It backs on to woods. There have been more than 20 officers here since last night and they had the sniffer dogs out.’

Miss Everard’s uncle, Nick Everard, described the arrest as a ‘shocking development’.