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

[KarenUK]

Great news, what a relief!

 

[Nikynoo]

And the defence statement that he didn't intend to kill her which is clear because he gave his personal details for the hire car. And yet they admit that he planned to kidnap and rape someone. Still having given his personal details for the hire car. I just think he thought the car wouldn't have been identified

I think, on the whole, the defence had to say something - they could not say anything at all. I would not dwell on the defence statement, but celebrate the whole life tariff.

 

[jamjim]

https://twitter.com/Fhamiltontimes/status/1443532753266515975

BREAKING Wayne Couzens sentenced to a rare, whole life order at the Old Bailey. He will never be released for the murder of Sarah Everard. He is the first police officer to receive this sentence

What an absolute relief. Time for the sicko to rot in his jail cell.

RIP Sarah.

 

[mrjitty]

'Police are in a unique position'
The judge said: "I would stress therefore that I have adopted the approach that a judge should only pass a whole-life term if he is confronted with a new category of exceptionally seriousness of a case."

RSBM

So this is an interesting precedent now.

Whole life is not just for a bad murder the public is upset about.

It has to be exceptional - apart from other bad cases.

 

[LucyRocket]

Or maybe he just has to illustrate that he has considered all factors equally. He has considered Sarah's family, and he has also considered that WC has dependents who will never have their father in their lives

 

[NottReds50]

Wayne Couzens: Sentencing Remarks

 

[jamjim]

Thank you @Silverlink and everyone else who has provided updates. You’ve done an amazing job at keeping the threads up to date as it all happened.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

Thank goodness for that. The correct sentence. Won’t bring Sarah back but it is correct. I am sure this coward will appeal it.

If you think this case didn’t meet the whole life “criteria” — there are guidelines and starting points. There are no hard and fast rules. This case was so outrageous it had not been fully anticipated in the guidelines and starting points. What matters is the level of seriousness of the offence, many factors go into this. In the round, this is a very appropriate sentence.

 

[mrjitty]

I think, on the whole, the defence had to say something - they could not say anything at all.

Agreed.

They made the obvious points.

I also agree with the Judge. If not for the fact that he used his position as a police officer, this would not be a whole life case.

 

[alw]

I'm so so relieved that it's whole-life.

 

[CuriousObserver1]

Well done Judge!!!!

 

[tedtink]

12:13pm
Couzens taken down


Asked to stand by the judge, Couzens closed his eyes and was visibly shaking on the spot as he strained with his head bowed.

When taken away, his head remained down as he was walked to the holding cells.

 

[Crazy Mama]

Is it also possible that in this tunnel vision that was all about himself he neglected to think through the consequences of literally picking someone off the streets. If I am not mistaken her disappearance was making national news by Friday night (when she was abducted on the Wednesday and he returned to dispose of her on Friday morning if I read the timeline correctly). So according to the timeline, although he had already murdered her and set the fire to her remains to attempt to cover his tracks, by Friday night the reality of his situation would have been beginning to dawn on him. I think he may have returned to scene so he could “keep an eye on it” as it were. Check that it still appeared “secure” as it were after he left it on the Friday. Taking the family was then a cover story for being there and also looking at the scene through the eyes of others. JMO. I don’t think it was and act of defiance or bravado, I think the fear of being found out started at that stage. Then, if he was following the news at all he would have seen the forensics teams at the scene of the abduction on the Tuesday afternoon (it was on the news and online). And shortly after that was when he wiped his phone as he must have sensed the net was closing (and in fact the police were already waiting outside his house).

(One thing I would note for long term posters here - that smouldering Snapchat pic was not her thank god. I had the misfortune of seeing it posted briefly on this forum before it was removed by the mods and it was gnawing away at me that it might have been her and I really didn’t want to have seen it as it felt way to intrusive. But the fridge seems to have at least knocked on the head. Thankfully).

Thanks for telling us that, the photo was haunting me.

 

[CriLondon]

Doesn't bring Sarah back
Doesn't really ease the pain.
But really , nothing else would have done .
Personally satisfied but still leaves me feeling very empty .

 

[Cherwell]

It's relevant in terms of what kind of person he was.
e.g. Was he a lifetime criminal? or was he a family man always in employment?
The Justice is not saying that having kids gets him a discount.

I don't understand this, Mr J. A "lifetime criminal" can also be a family man.

 

[mrjitty]

Thank goodness for that. The correct sentence. Won’t bring Sarah back but it is correct. I am sure this coward will appeal it.

If you think this case didn’t meet the whole life “criteria” — there are guidelines and starting points. There are no hard and fast rules. This case was so outrageous it had not been fully anticipated in the guidelines and starting points. What matters is the level of seriousness of the offence, many factors go into this. In the round, this is a very appropriate sentence.

I agree. It's the right sentence. It has the exceptional component.

 

[JuicyLucy]

Wayne Couzens sentenced to a whole-life order
Lord Justice Fulford has sentended Wayne Couzens to a whole-life order.

A whole-life order means the criminal is in prison for the rest of their life without ever becoming eligible for parole.

It differs from a life sentence, under which the prisoner is given a number of years they must spend in jail after which they will be eligible to apply for parole.

Whole-life tariffs are reserved for offenders judged to be the most dangerous to society.

The judge asked Wayne Couzens to stand in the dock and said: "You have eroded the confidence the public are entitled to have and it is critical that every subject in this country can trust police when they encounter them."

Live updates as Wayne Couzens is jailed for life for Sarah Everard's murder

Thank you so much for keeping the thread updated with all of this @Silverlink. A tedious, time-sensitive job that's much appreciated. Also to @Ched, @LucyRocket @Sayrah and others who have joined in. Sorry if I forgot anyone.

 

[MrsWatson]

The only possible sentence for such a terrible crime.

May Sarah rest in peace.

 

[Alyce]

12:13pm
Couzens taken down


Asked to stand by the judge, Couzens closed his eyes and was visibly shaking on the spot as he strained with his head bowed.

When taken away, his head remained down as he was walked to the holding cells.

Visibly shaking, did he really not expect this ?

 

[tedtink]

Well done team!

12:15pm
Lawyers embrace at end of sentencing


Members of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) hugged after the judge left court room No 10.