First time poster here. I’m a clinical psychologist specialised in personality disorders and have a background in LE.
I think Sherlockhames has it broadly correct, according to what I’d expect to come out later.
A few points re other general discussions.
- “hands on” sex offenders tend to have a personality disorder, even if it is somewhat subtle
- psychopaths & those with other cluster B disorders are reasonably common in society
- they tend to have a lower than average IQ, possibly around the 90 mark
- premeditation and their -perception- of risk often shows hallmarks of low cunning rather than the glamourised, filmic, highly sophisticated psychopathic thinking style many imagine
- unsolved cases are predominantly due to loss of evidence over time rather than the skill of the perpetrators in covering the crime
- hire cars are not unusual in cases like this, the low cunning thinking style perceiving them less likely to be traced
- ANPR cams all over the UK lead LE to WC and he was subsequently subject to surveillance by plain clothes teams for days
- cordon at Poynders Court probably to some degree timed to give media smokescreen whilst arrest planned at WC’s home
- PaDP officers are almost always -not- trained in forensics, investigative policing techniques or related specialist functions
- PaDP are trained in tactics related to security and weapon handling, usually involving 5 week training sessions at a specialised residential facility in Kent
- This training is repeated every X months / years as are psychological screenings for ones suitability to be a firearms officer
- these screenings are not repeated often enough IMO as much can change between times and they are widely self report questionnaires which are known to be unrealiable
- one may expect that a sex offender would escalate from “hands off” ie flashing to “hands on” over time if he is subject to worsening mental health, fractures in personal relationships, death or illness in the family, a narcissistic injury such as humiliation at work or with his wife etc
- yes, it is possible that a first killing occurs at 48
- yes, it is statistically likely that Sarah got into his car voluntarily
- yes, it may have been an accidental killing as a result of a failed attempt at consensual sexual activity
- or a panic killing to reduce the chances of prosecution
EDIT to add: its highly unlikely that his Met issue taser or other weapon could be used in this attack as they are strictly booked in and out before & after shifts. However police CAN carry: baton, warrant ID, uniform, nylon cuffs, and other small items away from work easily / with permission.
There’s so much more to say but I have to go to work!