Wayne Couzens admits indecent exposure offences

Former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens has admitted three counts of indecent exposure, one of which he committed four days before killing Sarah Everard.

The pleas relate to three incidents in Kent - two offences at a fast-food restaurant in February 2021, and another at woodland in Deal in 2020.

Three remaining counts will not be pursued by the prosecution and will be left on file, the Old Bailey heard.

The 50-year-old entered the pleas by video-link from Frankland Prison.

Couzens, who had a long grey beard and wore a grey tracksuit, is serving a whole-life sentence at the Durham prison for the kidnap, rape and murder of 33-year-old Ms Everard in March 2021.

On both 14 and 27 February 2021, Couzens exposed his genitals to staff at the drive-in fast food restaurant. He is said to have looked straight at the workers while sitting in his car as he paid for his food.

Mrs Justice May told the Old Bailey: "The female staff were shaken, upset and angry."

Staff took a registration number after the second incident and identified the car from CCTV as a black Seat. It was registered to Couzens, who had in any case used a credit card in his name to pay.

This happened four days before the then-serving officer with the Met Police used his position to trick Ms Everard into his car.

The significance of Wayne Couzens' guilty pleas should not be underestimated: we now know he was a serial sex offender before he murdered Sarah Everard.

But more importantly his number-plate was given to Met Police officers after he exposed himself in February 2021.

It's fair to say if the police had carried out the correct checks they would have realised he was a police officer, but he was free, just days later, to murder Sarah Everard using his status as a policeman.

Many women have said the police don't take indecent exposure seriously enough despite the fact it's known often to lead to more serious offences.

It's fair to say this was a missed opportunity to stop Wayne Couzens.

Det Ch Insp Katherine Goodwin, who led the team which originally investigated the murder of Sarah Everard, said Couzens had "tried to frighten and demean" his victims, "but they have only shown strength and dignity in reporting him and supporting this investigation".

"I would like to thank them for their patience, co-operation and help throughout the case," she added.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner for professionalism in the Met, Bas Javid, said: "We know the public will, understandably, be sickened at yet more grotesque crimes by Couzens.

"The process of flushing out the corrupt and the criminal from the Met will be slow and painful, but is necessary and we will continue to do so."

Last year, Couzens failed in an attempt to have his whole-life term reduced, when the Lord Chief Justice ruled the crimes against Ms Everard were so exceptional the tariff should stand.

Couzens is due to be sentenced for the indecent exposure offences on 6 March.

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