GUILTY UK - Sarah Everard, 33, London, Clapham Common area, 3 Mar 2021 *Life sentence* #16

[mrjitty]

Given the way he volunteered stories of Romanian prostitutes, I suspect that is the kind of thing the Met will have looked into. I guess we will never know unless other complainants come forward.

 

[ameliak]

I wonder if his wife had been told the extent of what had happened or has she only just found out the actual details? Imagine what she is thinking right now, his children too. To use his position of authority as a Policeman to get her in the car, to then rape and murder her. Her family broken, devastated by what he did.

I can't stop thinking about the fact that he has a daughter as well. Did he ever consider how he would feel if someone did this to her?! Obviously not!

 

[KensingtonandChelsea]

I'm so happy to hear this, I'm glad her family will never have to worry about his release in the future.

As for him shaking, what did he expect was going to happen? He's a police officer himself, he knows the ramifications. Did he think he was able to snatch a young woman off the streets of London, rape and murder her and toss her away like trash and get away with it? The problem is that he doesn't think of women as people with lives, friends and families who love them and miss them - he only cares about himself and his own gratification, he sees women as objects. He can't begin to imagine that they're actual real humans. Well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of your actions.

I'm glad the judge raised the concerns we as women in London have about trusting police officers now and about our safety out and about generally.

When it comes to him facing 'prison justice,' sadly I don't think he'll be allowed in gen pop but only kept in solitary for his own protection.

 

[LucyRocket]

I hope he lives to 100 as opposed to takes his own life, he will be spending the rest of his worthless life looking over his shoulder, living in constant fear of attack - police are right up there with paedophiles in terms of prisoner hatred. He will well and truly be a marked man in prison

That's how I usually feel, but I'm surprised that towards WC I don't think that way. I think... just let him die. I'm sorry, I know that sounds terrible. I'm trying to work out why I think like that, and I think it's something along the lines of he's so awful I can't even give him enough thought to hope that he'll suffer. Just let him be gone.

 

[Sarahlou]

I can't stop thinking about the fact that he has a daughter as well. Did he ever consider how he would feel if someone did this to her?! Obviously not!

People like that don't care.

 

[KensingtonandChelsea]

A really good point on remorse. If WC is genuinely sorry, then he will on reflection accept his punishment is appropriate given all the facts and not bother the legal system again, and keep quiet in prison so we never have to hear of him again until he dies…

We’ll see.

To be honest I can already smell the appeal coming....

 

[Rusty Braincells]

To be honest I can already smell the appeal coming....

I agree, as I said in my original post. He’s that sort of person and not to be critical of lawyers (I am one!) but they will argue any case to the last limit they can sometimes.

For a man of Couzens’s age the point may even be academic as to whether it’s 40 years or whole life but I am offended by the thought of him being able to enjoy even say a final two or three years of freedom if he lives until his 80s. Wrong on principle.

Edited to add: for a man of Couzens’ age I would find the appeal all the more the waste of time and all concerned should have the decency to skip it but Couzens has no dignity. He only pleaded guilty hoping he would get a sentence in the 30-40 years range and perhaps have ten years out at the end. If he is still after that… For someone in his early 20s like Jamie Reynolds with Georgia Williams I at least saw the point. And he didn’t perform a fake arrest. If Couzens tries it, it will be offensive but he probably will.

 

[skythebest]

Can we make a law that two police officers are present when questioning on the street?

 

[londonsleuther]

Everard family reaction to sentence
As the judge passed sentence, Sarah's parents, Jeremy and Susan who were sitting together holding hands, looked at one another and briefly smiled.
(Source-Telegraph Updates)

This brought tears to my eyes, may they live their lives in peace knowing justice has been served.

 

[tedtink]

BIB

Ok the Daily Mail is being even sillier than usual.

Anyone who has been on WS for a while surely knows by now that burning is one of the dumbest ways to get rid of a body? It suggests an amateur who never did a murder before

And the DM roll out their celebrity criminologist as per usual.

JMO

 

[infinit]

That's how I usually feel, but I'm surprised that towards WC I don't think that way. I think... just let him die. I'm sorry, I know that sounds terrible. I'm trying to work out why I think like that, and I think it's something along the lines of he's so awful I can't even give him enough thought to hope that he'll suffer. Just let him be gone.

I'm the same. Personally not really a fan of the death penalty because of the miscarriages of justice that can occur. But if he wants to start slamming his head off stuff again, let him crack on.

 

[mrjitty]

Well there we have it. Finally we got to learn all the evidence.

I was not particular invested in the sentencing tariff as it was going to be huge any which way, but at least this means there won't be ongoing controversy as far as the judicial side of it goes.

 

[mrjitty]

And the DM rolls out their celebrity criminologist as per usual.

JMO

It's just so wrongheaded. He burnt the body in a fridge, so a witness saw it, then had to start again?

Yeah - highly experienced.

Like why use the fridge?

 

[tedtink]

It's just so wrongheaded. He burnt the body in a fridge, so a witness saw it, then had to start again?

Yeah - highly experienced.

Like why use the fridge?

Exactly!

 

[Whitehall 1212]

Words seem so inadequate.

Sleep peacefully Sarah. You light will always shine bright. I pray that your loved ones can find peace through their pain.

 

[kittythehare]

This brought tears to my eyes, may they live their lives in peace knowing justice has been served.

Amen.

 

[CuriousObserver1]

To be honest I can already smell the appeal coming....

I think any appeal would not be successful, the judge highlighted the fact he was a police officer and used that position to do what he did - otherwise she would not have got in the car without a fight and on a busy road it would be likely she would have escaped.

If he was not given a well deserved whole life sentence and if it does not remain that, it will undermine the police force - I don't even think it is about public outcry, even if there was none, I think the same would be true.

Let him appeal...it just proves further his true character!

 

[LucyRocket]

I think for the family it makes a big difference as to whether he got life with a minimum term or whole life. From experience I can say that Sarah's siblings would most definitely be counting down the years for the rest of their lives if he had say a 30 year minimum. Now, they don't ever have to give him a thought

 

[JuicyLucy]

Today is a good day. This is the sentence I expected and I think it's the right outcome. Nothing will ever make things right for Sarah Everard's family but at least they have some closure now and the knowledge that they won't ever have to go through a parole hearing. And even if it makes no material difference considering his age, it sets a precedent about the abuse of institutional power that's important imo. So I'm satisfied with today.

But in the days to come, I must say I want to know more. I want his other crimes to be investigated and prosecuted - and in the case of some of them, I'm sure, uncovered for the first time. And I would really like to know more about how he became this person, with a wife and a daughter of his own, but nevertheless capable of viewing women as disposable objects, whether that's Sarah or Romanian prostitutes in Folkestone motels. Very little has come out so far about his past or his family of origin, for instance, and I wonder if that's because it's been suppressed by the sub judice rules or whether it still isn't known. I hope the press have been quietly researching him and will now be able to reveal things that will help us understand how things got to this point, so something can be learnt.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

I think for the family it makes a big difference as to whether he got life with a minimum term or whole life. From experience I can say that Sarah's siblings would most definitely be counting down the years for the rest of their lives if he had say a 30 year minimum. Now, they don't ever have to give him a thought

Really excellent point. Sarah has at least one sister who has been mentioned and having to think when you’re in your 60s or 70s that this piece of garbage might be free and having to worry about parole hearings etc would be another punishment (I think of the poor families of the girls murdered by Colin Pitchfork for example).

Edit… and sorry for your experience