UK UK - Sarah Everard, 33, London - Clapham Common area, 3 March 2021 *Arrests* #7

[Sarahlou]

A policeman, goes into a fast food place where he must know there's cctv, flashes someone, I mean this is just insane, wow.

Extremely brazen and confident that nothing will happen to him imo.

 

[Commoner]

Yes I understood it as two officers. I do hope the other officer is being closely watched now.

I think this might mean the two officers who may not have responded adequately to the report of a flasher. Not WC plus another doing the flashing

A proper investigation may or may not have led to WC before 3 March (might have done if DNA could have played a more timely role. But no investigation definitely can't.

 

[misst]

I'm sorry if this has been stated but I did look on the front page and this thread is moving very fast - are there no known social media accounts of WC?

 

[smucklecrumble]

Holy heck, that is such a huge development.
I'm guessing, he was arrested and then thought he may as well do something extreme. Police have A LOT to explain now.

seems plausible that getting reported for the indecent exposure, feeling like he got away with it (hence investigation into conduct) may have made him more emboldened. I sincerely hope that is not the case, especially for Sarah’s family and loved ones.

 

[L White]

I'm sorry if this has been stated but I did look on the front page and this thread is moving very fast - are they no known social media accounts of the WC?

Think they were removed. The wife's one went a few hours ago.

 

[Alethea]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14310271/sarah-everard-police-wayne-couzens/

The Independent Office for Police Conduct also announced they are investigating the Met over the apparent failure to act on the indecent exposure report.

A man is alleged to have exposed himself to female staff at the take away on February 28.

The incident is said to have been captured on CCTV.

Staff reported it to police on the night. However, no action was taken in connection over the alleged incident.

Had he been arrested over the allegation, Couzens would automatically have had his “blue ticket” firearm licence revoked and suspended from duty.

Former Met detective chief inspector Mick Neville said: "He would have been suspended from duty and would have been at home."

 

[swedeheart]

Would they have let the wife out on bail if they thought she had anything to do with say, coaxing Sarah into the car?

Jmo.

 

[emstar8777]

Hi guys,

New member here. I've been dipping in and out of these threads, so sorry if I end up repeating anything that's already been stated..I've been scratching my head about how WC could have secured the trust of SE. It just doesn't make sense to me, the idea that someone as savvy and presumably street-wise as Sarah would have voluntarily entered the car of a stranger - even one who purported to be a police officer. I say this from the perspective of a street-savvy young woman who is of a similar age to Sarah and lives relatively close to Clapham. My initial thoughts were that there is no way in hell I would trust a lone man on a quiet street in pitch black dark, regardless of whether he had a police badge and looked like the real deal. I'm not sure I'm convinced by the theory that he approached her to question her about a potential Covid breach and what she was doing out on her own. It just seems too flimsy and unrealistic. This might have washed during the first lockdown, when rules were a lot more stringent, but not at this stage of a third lockdown. I reckon he was much more calculated than that and concocted a much more sinister plan to secure Sarah's trust. SE was clearly an intelligent young lady and I can only assume that she was paralysed with fear as a result of one of two possible scenarios. Naturally, when one's body goes into "fight or flight" mode, rational thinking will take a back seat as the instant need for self-preservation and safety takes over.

Here are my theories:

Scenario 1) he approached her with a seemingly innocuous query, e.g. maybe asking for directions, in a jovial and approachable manner. Looking at the pictures with his family, he definitely has the "big friendly giant" persona about him. The sort of friendly face you might see down the pub. He may have put her further at ease by telling a joke or two, to bide his time and further secure her trust. Or he may have shown his badge and claimed to have been looking for a missing person. Once she answered his query, I reckon he calmly took out a knife and told her to stay very quiet otherwise he would hurt her, before coaxing her into his car. Like any defenceless young woman in this situation, SE may have frozen in terror and acquiesced with his demand out of fear for her life.

Scenario 2) he approached her with his police badge, perhaps dressed in his London Met jacket or hat (do we have any confirmation of this yet?) to warn her that a dangerous man has been reported in the area, attempting to commit an attack on a lone woman. Naturally, like any young woman in this scenario, I probably wouldn't consider certain abnormalities of the situation e.g. no other police being present, as I'd be utterly terrified. He may have then lulled her into a false sense of security by reassuring her that his other colleagues were close by and looking for the offender, before offering to give her a lift home. Again, putting myself in the shoes of a petrified young woman on her own, the idea of a violent male on the prowl is the worst possible scenario I can conceive of, so being presented with the offer of a quick escape from the area by a police offer would offer me instant reassurance. Again, this is going on the theory that SE went into a state of panic, as anyone would on hearing this news, and her fight or flight defence had taken over her capacity to think rationally about the situation. This also has horrible echoes of the Libby/Reclowicz situation. A vulnerable and frightened young girl being approached by a seemingly friendly and trustworthy professional offering her a lift to safety.

I have to say this, I consider myself very street savvy - I've lived alone since 19 (bar a couple boyfriends) and I'm mid 20s now, I know exactly how to handle myself out and about, I look behind myself often, check my route, always make sure to let people know where I am and avoid going out at dark/sticking to busy places. But I absolutely feel my guard goes down - as I'm sure it does with most people - when a police officer approaches me. Because in my mind, they have quite a lot of power over me, and they do don't they? Even recently in Dorset we've seen police arresting people for being out more than once a day on walks (there's lots of controversy over this and what actually went on but bottom line is that it is happening), so it's completely and absolutely believable a police officer would ask someone why they're out walking. Just because we're on the umpteenth lockdown doesn't make their presence any less imposing. I don't think anyone's initial reaction to a police officer asking questions about the whys and wherefores of why we're out at such and such a time would be: "Fake!", especially when shown a badge. I don't think that's "flimsy or unbelievable" at all. In fact I think it's much more believable than him just coming up behind her and knocking her out with something as some have suggested. He's a policeman. Of course he's going to use that to his advantage. Of course he's going to be out with psychological control to get what he wants. That badge would've been used, one way or another.

edit: something else I just thought of also. I bet in the back of her mind as she was walking she was aware that she possibly wasn't supposed to be out and about, maybe thinking "ah I'm breaking lockdown here". There's every likelihood when she saw him some part of her thought "I've been caught", and she was much more receptive to him than anyone ordinarily would be. He likely played upon that.

 

[LeopardLeotard]

I’m in no way defending the police but I suspect they get multiple reports of flashing/indecent exposure every week snd simply can’t look into them all. However. This was done in a fast food restaurant so obviously WC’s behaviour was becoming more brazen (no way was this his first time) and if he was identified and nothing was done, this is major misconduct on behalf of the police officers looking into the allegation.

I suspect there will be more unsolved cases of indecent exposure with descriptions matching WC to come out. Just my opinion but it looks to me like his behaviour was escalating and if he was aware that he’d been reported for the incident, the net was closing. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there’s not some other unproven complaints against him on his file.

I mean surely alarm bells should have been ringing, why was nothing done?,totally bizarre, it would have been irrefutable with video evidence, what on earth were they thinking

 

[Parmalade]

Sarah Everard: Probe into police response to indecent exposure claim

"
The police watchdog has launched a probe into how two Metropolitan Police officers responded to allegations of indecent exposure linked to the case of Sarah Everard. "

IOPC statement is a bit confusing. And I think the separate referrals is all the mandatory and voluntary ones the met has had to make for the case. Still not sure if WC was original accused.

It is confusing - at the end of its statement, the IOPC is clear that WC has been accused of IE. So is the probe into the “response” by “two officers” meaning two officers (other than WC) have not followed protocol properly and suspended WC following WC carrying out an IE crime on 28 Feb? And maybe this lack of proper response has opened the lid on 4 other cases they may have handled, which may be separate to WC. Confusing - WC could be one of the two officers, or he could be a third (and actually the accused at the centre of the complaint mismanaged by two colleagues)?

 

[Columboshound]

I

Would they have let the wife out on bail if they thought she had anything to do with say, coaxing Sarah into the car?

Jmo.

I think the charge would have been more serious against her if they had an inkling she was that involved. Jmo

 

[Herat]

The indecent exposure charge now explains the hire car.

He knew his own vehicle would be recorded.

Unless the indecent exposure charge came with some restrictions on his travel or movements requiring something like home confinement - He could STILL have assaulted her or some other woman.

I am outraged about all this, but his compulsion is too strong to stop him, even when he KNOWS he is on their radar.

And now I am changing my mind and am very concerned that there is more than one missing female body at the site in Kent

 

[tigerowl]

Ooooh there's going to be a hoo ha at the cop shop over this. There are only 2 possibilities.

1. They ignored the report of IE as it was not considered important. Always an issue, but particularly noteworthy in the aftermath of the recent Libby Squires case. Questions to answer on the Mets general respect for women.
2. They knew it was a copper and therefore covered it up/brushed it under the carpet to protect their own. Double trouble.

Not going to look good either way. No wonder Cressida was in bits,

 

[Vera_dci]

I really don't think he would be working if he was the known flashing person. He would be suspended.

 

[Jimmy Pats]

The wife I suspect is in trouble for giving WC some kind of false alibi. It’s a serious misdeed but a bailable offence. JMO MOO

 

[armchairdetective123]

Who here also thinks that WC caused his own head injuries by banging his own head against the wall?

I just hope he's on suicide watch so that he can't escape justice...

 

[nothinonyou]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14310271/sarah-everard-police-wayne-couzens/

The Independent Office for Police Conduct also announced they are investigating the Met over the apparent failure to act on the indecent exposure report.

A man is alleged to have exposed himself to female staff at the take away on February 28.

The incident is said to have been captured on CCTV.

Staff reported it to police on the night. However, no action was taken in connection over the alleged incident.

Had he been arrested over the allegation, Couzens would automatically have had his “blue ticket” firearm licence revoked and suspended from duty.

Former Met detective chief inspector Mick Neville said: "He would have been suspended from duty and would have been at home."

Sarah would be alive if something was done

 

[Sarahlou]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14310271/sarah-everard-police-wayne-couzens/

The Independent Office for Police Conduct also announced they are investigating the Met over the apparent failure to act on the indecent exposure report.

A man is alleged to have exposed himself to female staff at the take away on February 28.

The incident is said to have been captured on CCTV.

Staff reported it to police on the night. However, no action was taken in connection over the alleged incident.

Had he been arrested over the allegation, Couzens would automatically have had his “blue ticket” firearm licence revoked and suspended from duty.

Former Met detective chief inspector Mick Neville said: "He would have been suspended from duty and would have been at home."

That's disgusting nothing was done. It was on cctv too! Jeez.
How many other times have they ignored things like this? I'm not sure I'd want to know.

 

[Nancy Drew 21]

I'm sorry if this has been stated but I did look on the front page and this thread is moving very fast - are they no known social media accounts of the WC?

I have 3 friends in the police force, none of them have an identifiable social media account using their own names. I assume it's common practise to make sure they are not readily identifiable for their own safety.

 

[Sarahjo]

Imo the way its worded, it suggests

Would he have been detained for this offence though? Serious question. I have no idea of what happens in this scenario.

He wouldn’t have been in custody no, but he would have been suspended from his job so I doubt he would be lurking about London while he was under investigation meaning Sarah would still be here