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LONDON – A British police officer has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and rape of a woman as she was returning to her home in south London, her body found a week later in the woods.
A court in London’s Old Bailey heard on Tuesday that Wayne Cousins, 48, accepted responsibility for Sarah Everard’s death even though he was not asked to file a plea on the murder charge.
Members of the Everard family sat in court to witness the defendant enter his pleas.
Medical reports are being prepared about the Metropolitan Police officer, who appeared via a video link from Belmarsh Prison.
Another hearing before Judge Adrian Fulford will be held on July 9.
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Everard, a 33-year-old marketing manager, disappeared while returning home from a friend’s home in Clapham, south London, on March 3.
A major police investigation has begun and her body was found a week later in a forest in Kent, more than 50 miles southeast of London.
The disappearance and murder of Everard caused nationwide protests, with women sharing experiences of being threatened or attacked — or simply facing the daily fear of violence when walking alone.
Tribute to flowers and candles placed on the bandstand in Clapham Common, London, March 15 Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Anger was evident during an unauthorized vigil in Clapham Common on March 14 that was banned due to coronavirus restrictions.
During the rally, Metropolitan Police officers grabbed several women and pulled them by handcuffs to scream and shout from onlookers. Police actions were widely condemned.
The Metropolitan Police expressed shock and horror at Everard’s death.
Cousins joined its ranks in 2018 and most recently served in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, an armed unit responsible for guarding embassies in the capital and parliament.
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