UK UK - Sarah Everard, 33, London - Clapham Common area, 3 March 2021 *Arrests* #6

[sriraaacha]

I doubt SE was given an opportunity to put into practice what many of us would like to think we’d do in that situation (run, get noticed, fight back etc). SE’s character shouldn’t be queried by people speculating on if they’d trust POI because of his appearance and/or asking “why would she get in the car?” and so on - there’s nothing she did wrong: she was right to feel safe where she lived, she was right to walk where she wanted, she was right to trust someone who had evidence that they were LE (if that happened) and she deserves support, not speculation.

I don't disagree with you. People act one of two ways in that sort of situation: fight back or don't struggle. Being in the situation is very different to imagining what you might do. I don't think it's about not supporting her, or thinking she was in any way "wrong", it's more so curiosity about how things went down that night.

 

[Biadee]

MOO: but why would POI waste time with showing warrant card and having a story for SE about why she should get in his car?
IMO that situation seems convoluted and has more opportunities for eye witnesses/CCTV to capture their interaction.

I doubt SE was given an opportunity to put into practice what many of us would like to think we’d do in that situation (run, get noticed, fight back etc). SE’s character shouldn’t be queried by people speculating on if they’d trust POI because of his appearance and/or asking “why would she get in the car?” and so on - there’s nothing she did wrong: she was right to feel safe where she lived, she was right to walk where she wanted, she was right to trust someone who had evidence that they were LE (if that happened) and she deserves support, not speculation.

Definitely agree that whatever happened and whatever choices she made, she is not to blame. She was a woman walking home and entitled to be safe regardless of literally anything. I don’t think posters are suggesting it’s her fault or she shouldn’t have got into the car with him, more wondering whether it is likely that this is what happened.

I think it’s an interesting issue because I think it would be very hard to get her into the car by force without something amiss being seen by someone on a road that busy. It’s possible something was seen, and we haven’t been told about it by police? But I doubt he would have taken that risk.

I don’t think it would have been surprising if having seen his warrant card, he was able to trick her into getting into his car. Also she had been drinking wine and while I don’t think there is any suggestion she was drunk, a glass or two may have made her slightly more vulnerable to someone trying to trick her in this way. (And to be clear, even if hypothetically she had been drunk, it would not make her to blame for any of it. I’m talking about what may or may not have in fact happened, not criticising her actions in any way).

I just think given it was a busy street, there’s a good chance she got in willingly.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I am still wondering how the scene outside Poynders Court ties in with the interior? Even if he snatched her off street, then he wouldn't have been inside.

And how did he subdue her? Even if he said he was a police officer and said he'd drop her home as on his way, well at some point she would have become aware of situation. How, while driving, did he - I presume strangle her? - unless he again stopped somewhere?

 

[Deathsgrandaughter]

On a journey once with my ex driving. He was pulled over for a potential traffic violation. The officer took him to sit in the police car to discuss the situation.. None of us thought twice about it. Very different scenario, but easy to extrapolate, that it would be easy to persuade someone to sit in the car - possible breach of lockdown, it is cold, let's fill in this paperwork out of the chill, where there is a light. MOO

 

[Biadee]

This morning, MSM is reporting that the "indecent exposure" he has been arrested for, is not connected to SE's case. It therefore makes me wonder how they have found this at the same time.

I wonder if the victim of the indecent exposure saw his picture in the press and came forward yesterday - there was a bit of time between him being identified and being arrested for that crime I think.

 

[GemmaNut]

This happens in the US way too often. Most of the time it is someone pretending to be a police officer. We even have procedures to follow if we get pulled over by a cop and we have doubts they are the real thing.

In the UK too, suspicious drivers are told to drive to the nearest police station if they have concerns about a supposed police officer trying to pull them over.
I was thinking about it and I’m not so sure that I have EVER heard equivalent advice for pedestrians.
Maybe the MET will have to address that in the fallout from this case?

 

[Commoner]

Phew finally caught up, wow this thread moves fast !
One thing puzzling me , does anyone know the reasons why the press would have an embargo with the info about the body ? It seems it was mentioned in one paper then quickly deleted and not mentioned in any others for quite a while?

Consideration for the family. And respect for the deceased, whose death deserves to be announced properly, not be at the centre of a grubby race for a scoop.

It's a short-term voluntary agreement between press and authorities (was wondering if it has a different, stricter meaning outside UK?)

Do not believe everything you read about British press standards

 

[stormyseas]

This morning, MSM is reporting that the "indecent exposure" he has been arrested for, is not connected to SE's case. It therefore makes me wonder how they have found this at the same time.

My best guess would be that he committed the indecent exposure prior to encountering SE. It may have been the reporting of this offence that contributed to his arrest. He may have been enraged by the response of the first victim and taken his anger out on SE. IMO

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Body found in hunt for Sarah Everard: Police find 'human remains' in Kent wood after arresting serving Met officer, 48, 'who spent day she vanished guarding London's US Embassy' on suspicion her murder

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.

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.


Sarah Everard: Serving Met Police officer, 48, arrested over disappearance | Daily Mail Online

 

[factorfiction77]

This morning, MSM is reporting that the "indecent exposure" he has been arrested for, is not connected to SE's case. It therefore makes me wonder how they have found this at the same time.

I suspect once they released his image people started coming forward with allegations if he is a repeat offender which seems to be very plausible! That could be how they have him on other incidents exactly like happened with the Libby Squire case.

 

[insearchoflight]

Body found in hunt for Sarah Everard: Police find 'human remains' in Kent wood after arresting serving Met officer, 48, 'who spent day she vanished guarding London's US Embassy' on suspicion her murder

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.

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.


Sarah Everard: Serving Met Police officer, 48, arrested over disappearance | Daily Mail Online

They must have loads more information...

“Met police officer Wayne Couzens arrested in Kent on suspicion of kidnap. A 39-year-old woman at the same address is arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.”

They wouldn’t arrest the woman without some other information.

this to me reeks of impulse and unplanned

 

[SpursGyal]

This morning, MSM is reporting that the "indecent exposure" he has been arrested for, is not connected to SE's case. It therefore makes me wonder how they have found this at the same time.

There has been a lot of police presence in the area since Sarah went missing, IMO it could be likely someone’s reported a flasher in the area while they are making their enquiries and they’ve then managed to link him to the time/place too.

 

[factorfiction77]

One thing that I haven’t seen mentioned is about the outside of Poynders Court (sorry if I’m repeating a post I’ve missed) pictures in Daily Mail and other newspapers showed forensics swabbing the pavement (right near the kerb) outside Poynders Court as soon as they blocked it off ! I googled the make of wipes and they are used to retrieve blood traces! Did they find something on the pavement to suggest a kidnap occurred there?

Search for missing Sarah Everard, 33, enters sixth day as new CCTV footage shows no sign of her | Daily Mail Online

 

[jamjim]

IMO the victim of the indecent exposure has seen his photo/recognises his description and has reported him. I have a feeling there’ll be more people coming forward with similar stories as time goes on.

 

[BrianJohnson]

He worked a shift from 2.30 to 8.30pm that day and was on his way home, good chance he was still in police uniform so warrant card, guy in uniform, possibly handcuffs, intimidating looking guy you would nor want to argue with etc I can see why she would have assumed he was a real policeman and got in the car

Telling her she was under arrest for lockdown breaches

I would imagine too he demanded her to hand over her phone and probably handcuffed her so she could not resist

 

[Rosegold68]

Good point about the handcuffs. That would be a way of restraint for sure

 

[graceholl]

I think it's worth bearing in mind that the conditions of living through lockdown have made most people more anxious and more fearful, and perhaps less likely to think and behave as rationally or logically as they might under 'normal' circumstances. It's quite possible that Sarah's response - possibly heightened by alcohol - came from a pre-existing place of anxiety and fear, which is surely only going to be heightened by police presence.

Just a personal take on it, but I know I'm feeling significantly more paranoid and fearful as a result of the pandemic and the restrictions on life. If a uniformed policeman approached me and recommended I get into his car - under a pretense of a lift home to avoid 'breaking lockdown rules' or that he had some fear for my safety - I have to say I think I probably would (or at least would have before this tragic case). It probably was a fairly "straightforward" abduction in that sense. We are conditioned to trust the police and to believe that they are protecting us and have our safety as their top priority.

Women are never safe, sadly.

 

[Inspectorbee1234]

I’m still not 100% convinced that she didn’t know him. I know her family have said she doesn’t but I know lots of people who my family do not know I know.

It can’t be ruled out that she didn’t know him.

I just find it very odd that she would have willingly got into his car an unmarked car even with him showing her a warrant badge. And when if he had and she started to notice something wasn’t right, she had her phone. Unless of course the battery did die.

I just find the whole thing strange and I know the sun mentions his car was picked up on a dashcam camera but I thought maybe he was tracked through her phone records.

I’m just speculating anyway and putting another twist on it because the whole thing is just so bizarre.

 

[mrjitty]

Guten Morgen

So now begins the long process of trying to unravel this insanity

Unless he talks, we may never know exactly what happened at 9.30pm

The hire car is evidence of premeditation.

It still makes no sense to me why he would plan such a brazen snatch from a busy road crawling with CCTV - how does a hire car protect his identity? Possibly this guy is simply a bit dim.

No wonder LE struck swiftly once the hire car became part of their canvassing. He would have a hard job explaining why he had a hire car in the area at the time.

 

[San111]

There's a camera right on the corner of Poynders Court directed at the bins. Assuming it was recording then that must have picked them up if they entered. I know there's another entrance but that corner was where they were focusing the search, would they have done that if the camera showed nothing? If it was meticulously planned, you'd think you scope out for possible cameras and choose a quieter road. Calling her over pretending to need help and/or threatening with a knife would seem more likely than coercing her into a car to me