Angiolini Inquiry: Wayne Couzens ‘should never have been a police officer’
The chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) says Wayne Couzens “should never have been a police officer” as part one of the independent Angiolini Inquiry into the officer’s “premeditated and brutal murder of Sarah Everard” in South London in 2021 was published.
Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said his offending “should have been stopped sooner”.
Inquiry chair Lady Elish Angiolini said there were a catalogue of missed opportunities and red flags to disrupt or even prevent further offending by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer.
Part one of this independent inquiry, published on Thursday (February 29), was commissioned in late 2021 by the then Home Secretary to uncover the circumstances that led to the “atrocious abduction, rape and murder” of Sarah Everard by the serving police officer in March 2021.
The inquiry said Couzens was “a predatory sex offender and murderer” and evidence of his preference for violent and extreme pornography and history of alleged sexual offending dates back nearly 20 years prior to the murder of Ms Everard.
The victims who were subject to his indecent exposures and who reported his offending were not taken sufficiently seriously by the police, it said. The police officers who responded to those victims were not adequately trained, equipped or motivated to investigate the allegations properly.
“The then Home Secretary asked the inquiry to establish the circumstances and decision-making relating to Couzens’ vetting and re-vetting, including whether any red flags were missed,” the report said.
“They were. Couzens’ alleged sexual offending history and his often poorly and chaotically managed personal debt over many years were red flags.
“Those indicators should have given pause to those responsible for the police vetting and transfer processes and the vetting decisions, and prompted them to carry out further investigations and refuse Couzens’ vetting clearance.”
Lady Elish said: “As long as vile behaviour and deeply abusive language are normalised and accepted as ‘banter’ in policing culture and elsewhere, people like Couzens will be able to continue to commit atrocious crimes undetected.
“Many will say that Couzens’ crimes are a world away from the sexist and misogynistic behaviour that exists within policing, but they sit on the same continuum.
“Policing needs to grasp fully the extent of the cultural problems it faces and the way that this affects the public it serves. It needs to do more than make further changes to policies, guidance and training, although these are important and worthwhile.
“All policing leaders need to rethink fundamentally how they lead their organisations to ensure that certain types of behaviour, from the unacceptable to the criminal, are never tolerated.”
The inquiry said it was in “no doubt that the failure to investigate the June 2015 report of alleged indecent exposure was a red flag and a missed opportunity to disrupt or even prevent further offending by Couzens”.
“Instead, he was able to continue in post as an authorised firearms officer with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary,” it added.
MPS Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “There is nothing we can say to the family of Sarah Everard and all those who loved her that will convey how very sorry we are.
“Wayne Couzens’ crimes were horrific. The fact that he abused his position as a Metropolitan Police officer to carry them out represents the most appalling betrayal of trust. It damages the relationship between the public and the police and exposes long-standing fundamental flaws in the way we decide who is fit to be a police officer and the way we pursue those who corrupt our integrity once they get in.
“The report published today is an urgent call to action for all of us in policing. We must go further and faster, to earn back the trust of all those whose confidence in policing has been shaken by events of recent years.
“Regardless of our significant progress over the past year, the scale of the change that is needed inevitably means it will take time and it is not yet complete.
“The majority of my Met colleagues share my determination to reform by both confronting the risk posed by predatory men in policing, and also, improving our protection of women and children across London.”
The NPCC chair said the clear findings of a catalogue of missed opportunities and red flags left him “aghast”.
“The harrowing murder of Sarah Everard, carried out by a serving police officer, who abused his position of trust, has caused untold suffering,” said Mr Stephens.
“Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer. His offending should have been stopped sooner. This should never have happened.
“Listening this morning to Lady Elish Angiolini’s clear findings of a catalogue of missed opportunities and red flags left me aghast. Police leaders across the UK will feel the same and take this as an urgent call for action, and reminder of how far we still have to go.
“We are reviewing the recommendations in detail and I do not underestimate just how important this is for all of society.”
He added: “On behalf of policing I cannot adequately express to the Everard family how sorry we are to them and all those who loved Sarah.
“Lady Elish spoke of others who have suffered and I apologise to any woman or girl who has fallen victim to abuse by a police officer.
“Across history there are crimes that send a signal to us all. A signal not just about the depravity of the perpetrator, but one of problems in our society or failures in our institutions. This is a glowing red signal to all police leaders that we must do everything humanly possible to enact these recommendations and change policing for future generations.
“We are taking action to ensure there is nowhere to hide in policing for wrongdoers, that our misconduct and vetting processes are reformed, and that our ethics and values are reset. This report makes clear that we have much more to do to.
“We will not stop until the public, especially women and girls, get the police service they expect and deserve and their confidence in our role as protectors is rebuilt.”
The Home Office said “huge strides” have already been taken in rooting out officers not fit to wear the badge and bolstering safeguards to prevent the wrong people joining the force.
This includes the largest ever integrity screening of all serving officers and staff conducted by the NPCC and strengthening the requirements on officer vetting.
“The crimes committed by Wayne Couzens against Sarah shocked the nation and undermined public confidence in the police,” said the Home Office.
“Since 2021, the Government has been driving forward a body of work to strengthen the way police officers are vetted, scrutinised and disciplined, and more broadly, efforts to put a stop to violence against women and girls.
“However, the report today highlights the need for further action and the Government, in tandem with policing partners, will thoroughly consider the recommendations made by Lady Elish and respond in full in due course.
“The Government is bringing forward legislation that will make it easier to sack officers who fail to hold basic vetting when re-checked, as well as anyone found guilty of gross misconduct.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “The act of pure evil committed against Sarah shocked the nation to its core. My heart goes out to Sarah’s family and to all the brave victims who came forward to help inform this report and drive change.
“The man who committed these crimes is not a reflection on the majority of dedicated police officers working day in, day out to help people. But Sarah was failed in more ways than one by the people who were meant to keep her safe, and it laid bare wider issues in policing and society that need to be urgently fixed.
“In the three years since, a root and stem clean-up of the policing workforce has been underway and we have made huge strides – as well as making tackling violence against women and girls a national policing priority to be treated on par with terrorism.
“But we will continue to do everything in our power to protect women and girls. I am grateful to Lady Elish for her meticulous investigation. Her insights will be invaluable as we move forward in supporting our police to build forces of the highest standards of integrity and regain the trust of the British public.”
Independent Office for Police Conduct Acting Director General Tom Whiting said: “The abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer was deeply shocking and our thoughts are again with her family and friends and all of those affected.
“And we know her murder and what subsequently came to light has damaged public trust in policing, particularly from women and girls.
“Lady Elish Angiolini’s findings are stark and unflinching. She has set out a range of recommendations that must act as a catalyst for change.
“Her report reflects some of our own recommendations including better information sharing so forces are notified when a police officer is linked to an ongoing investigation, and changes to national police training and guidance to improve sexual offence investigations.
“However, as Lady Elish says, it will take more than just changes to policies, guidance and training to address systemic and cultural issues in policing. She has set out a challenge to police leaders that there must be fundamental change.
“As the police complaints watchdog, we also believe the time is right for radical reform of the police accountability system in this country. A fitness to practise or ‘licencing system’ would go a long way to dealing with the vetting and other issues identified in both Lady Elish review and the Baroness Casey report.
“A national licencing system, in line with many other professions, would bring much-needed consistency, legitimacy and accountability to the police service which in turn would help rebuild public trust and confidence.”
Information Commissioner John Edwards, who contributed to the inquiry, said: “This inquiry paints a concerning picture of how disciplinary concerns about police officers and recruits are shared. There is no room to hide behind misconceptions of the law on such an important matter: data protection law does not stand in the way of police sharing information about a potential recruit’s previous disciplinary action or warnings, nor does it act as a shield against investigations into police officers.
“There is a need for greater transparency here. The public have a right to understand how information will be shared to encourage trust in high standards of policing, and police officers have a right understand how their information will be shared.”
“We’ll continue working with the police to make sure data protection law, and the data sharing it allows, is clearly understood and works to serve and protect the best interests of the people of the UK.”
The College of Policing said this case was “one of the darkest episodes in British policing”.
Chief Constable Andy Marsh, chief executive officer of the College of Policing, said: “The horrific murder of Sarah Everard by a monstrous individual who served as a police officer is one of the darkest episodes in British policing.
“My thoughts remain with Sarah’s family and friends and nothing I can say or do will reverse the dreadful crimes committed. I also extend my full apology to the other women who have been abused by this man.
“I am under no illusion that there is more to do and we are committed to real and lasting improvements. The report does acknowledge we have made progress in tackling abuse of power for sexual purpose by police officers; misconduct relating to violence against women and girls; and the wider vetting processes. But much more is required.
“Indecent exposure is a serious crime which has a significant impact on victims. Last year we made it clear that policing will follow all reasonable lines of inquiry. This covers every crime but is particularly relevant to crimes like indecent exposure. Our guidance to officers makes clear the importance of following up any leads which could help us catch an offender. This includes taking a detailed statement, checking if there is CCTV available and looking for forensics.
“Our new evidenced based approach to sexual offences has a relentless focus on the perpetrator. The College of Policing will ensure all officers are properly trained, skilled and equipped to protect women and girls.”
He added: “It is clear from today’s report that there were serious failures in how his police vetting was carried out. Last year the College of Policing updated its vetting Code of Practice supporting forces to identify and eliminate unacceptable behaviour before they enter policing and when they are in service. Vetting should be a continuous process and any individual who falls short of our standards should not be wearing a uniform.
“We are consulting on some of the toughest standards in the history of policing. These reforms will do more than ever to stop the wrong people entering the service, monitor them closely when in the job, dismiss those who break our trust and ban them from ever returning.
“We will support police forces to redouble their efforts to ensure vetting is done to the highest standards as set by the College of Policing. Nevertheless, this stringent new approach to vetting will mean nothing unless applied consistently across policing. This is why we are implementing a new approach to accredit force vetting units that will require them to pass annual assessments.
“Vetting will only ever be one part of the jigsaw and we must redouble our efforts to improve police culture.
“The failings identified today are indefensible. I will continue to work with the Inquiry as it moves towards part two and I, with colleagues across all of policing, am determined to do everything possible to prevent anything like this ever happening again.”
Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) chair Donna Jones said: “The findings in Lady Elish Angiolini’s report are shocking and, as a woman, deeply disturbing. The failures she identifies provided Wayne Couzens with cover over two decades to indulge in his increasingly depraved and dangerous behaviour towards women and ultimately to commit murder.
“The horrific abduction, rape and murder of Sarah and other distressing cases of which we are now all too aware have severely damaged public confidence in the police, and, in particular women’s.
“It is incumbent upon all of us who work in policing to repair that relationship so that the public can feel safe, knowing they can rely on the police to protect them. “The scale of the change required in policing is clear.
“That change has begun: Improved workforce scrutiny and vetting is bringing to light cases where officers, staff or volunteers should not be serving. New systems are being introduced to enable officers and staff who may have witnessed corruption or abuse of position to report their concerns. It is vital that the public are empowered to raise concerns, and that they feel confident they will be taken seriously.
“I support Lady Angiolini’s recommendations on recruitment and vetting, the approach to investigating offences such as indecent exposure, and the cultural problems within policing which, together, enabled Wayne Couzens to evade proper scrutiny and get away with his crimes for so long. Couzens was authorised to carry a firearm but it is clear from the evidence the Inquiry heard that his psychological state made that a huge risk.
“Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are elected by the public to be their voice in policing and hold chief constables to account. Where officers are found to have fallen seriously below the high standards we rightly expect of them, chief constables must be able to take swift and robust action to sanction or remove them from their forces.
“It is crucial that the public believe in what is being done and today’s report shows just how important it is that, across policing, we do not let up on the pace and depth of this transformation. We must further embed ongoing effective processes that continue to root out those who have no place in policing.
“I know this report will make very difficult reading for the vast majority of excellent police officers who have been as horrified as anyone at the dreadful behaviour and crimes that have come to light in the last few years, and it is right to highlight the dedication and care with which most officers conduct their work every day, including those whose effective and thorough investigation finally brought Wayne Couzens to justice.
“The changes in procedure, culture, attitudes and behaviour that are vitally necessary to rebuild the public’s trust are clear. PCCs will do all they to make certain those changes are effected.”
APCC victims leads, Sophie Linden and Caroline Henry added: “Reading Lady Elish Angiolini’s findings today must have been immensely difficult for Sarah Everard’s family and our thoughts remain with them.
“Every woman and girl has the right to feel safe in their communities. However, today’s report lays bare the repeated failures over 20 years and by multiple forces that enabled Wayne Couzens, a serving police officer, to indulge in his predatory and dangerously deviant behaviour towards women, culminating in the appalling abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.
“As Lady Elish has found, Couzens should never have been a police officer and countless opportunities to identify him as a danger to women were either missed or ignored.
“The report highlights not only unforgiveable apathy and disinterest by officers who were meant to be investigating reported cases of indecent exposure in 2015 and 2021 where there were clear lines of inquiry linking Couzens to the crimes, but that officers actively found reasons not to pursue the cases.
“Red flags relating to his history of alleged sexual offending and his poor management of mounting debt were either not spotted or not seen as worthy of further scrutiny.
“Along with failures in police vetting and a culture within policing that allowed for his deeply offensive and misogynistic views to go unchallenged, Couzens’ offending escalated to use of his position as a police officer to target and intimidate women for years before he murdered Sarah.
“It is clear women have been badly let down, and victims of sexual crimes have not been taken seriously enough by those who are responsible for investigating those crimes; public trust and confidence has been seriously damaged. It is crucial that women’s trust in the police protecting them is rebuilt.
“Nothing less than a transformation is needed in the police’s approach to indecent exposure and other non-contact sexual offences, and in the quality of police investigations into such crimes. Policing must take this opportunity for change if victims of sexual crimes are to feel they can report incidents to the police safe in the knowledge their allegations will be properly and seriously investigated.
“A public health approach that tackles the root causes as well as the impacts is crucial for tackling the scourge of violence against women and girls. We must recognise that it takes whole system change to tackle it, and PCCs role in bringing partners together to challenge this issue is critical.
“PCCs are the public’s voice in policing, and advocate on behalf of victims. We will continue to ensure our local forces have in place strategies to prioritise the tackling of Violence Against Women and Girls, and that women’s voices are heard when we are commissioning services to support victims in dealing with trauma.
“PCCs have been central in working with partners to bring about that change, including new protections for victims of sexual violence and we are committed to ensuring that systems exist to root out those who have no place in policing.
“PCCs are holding chief constables to account for leading real cultural change in policing, and helping repair the damage done by this and other heinous cases involving serving police officers.”
In response to Part one of the Angiolini Inquiry, Police Now’s executive team said in a statement: “The findings within today’s report are as shocking as they are disgusting. Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer, and many opportunities in multiple forces to stop him joining or get him out once he was in, were missed or ignored.
“These unfathomable failings speak to the serious challenges facing policing nationally. It is clear that police security vetting requires reform, but what will be much harder to fix is the culture that allows Couzens, and others like him, to operate unchallenged for decades. Policing needs to stand up and listen to the diligent and honourable officers, remove the cowardly and corrupt, and provide exceptional leadership to all. Only then will we have an organisationally just police service, and consistent procedural justice in policing’s interactions with every member of the public.
“Improving policing culture – keeping what is good and ejecting what is bad – for the benefit of the public and for policing, is what Police Now was founded to do. We are preparing to welcome over 400 new recruits into forces across England and Wales this year and will equip them with the skills they need to impact policing culture for the better and help build public trust and confidence in the service. We need passionate and determined people to join the ranks – those motivated to serve with honesty and integrity, to face up to the challenges and help pave the new way forward for policing. If you are as appalled by the report findings as we are, then you are what the service needs.
“We can’t begin to imagine how horrendous the last three years have been for Sarah Everard’s family and friends, and what they continue to endure. Their commitment to supporting the inquiry is testament to their strength and bravery.
“This is a matter of urgency, of duty, and of ethics – for the sake of every victim and the sake of the public. This affects us all. Now is the time for change, it cannot wait and has already taken too long.”
Responding to the report, Unmesh Desai, London Assembly Labour policing and crime spokesperson, said: “Sarah Everard’s life was cut short by the most unimaginable cruelty. My thoughts are with those who have been bereaved.
“The task of improving trust and confidence in the police is more important than ever. We cannot allow for the police to fail women in this way.
“This report shows the multiple recruitment, vetting and investigation failures that led to Wayne Couzens being able to use his powers to commit his crimes, including multiple opportunities to prevent Couzens’ offending that were missed.
“The findings of this report will rightly damage the social contract between the police and the public, especially women. I urge the Government, College of Policing, NPCC and police commissioners to enact the recommendations of this report as a matter of priority.
“Particular attention must be given to screening out and removing unfit officers, which is a core responsibility of any police force, so that no sexual predators like Wayne Couzens have access to the power and authority which he utilised to enact his offending.
“Thank you to those who bravely gave evidence to enable this inquiry so it could do its work.”
Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: “Today we’re thinking of Sarah Everard, her loved ones and all who may be affected by the horrifying details being reported today.
“Understanding the systemic failings that enabled Couzens to do what he did will never detract from his responsibility for the horrific crimes he committed against Sarah Everard. But in showing us the missed opportunities that might have prevented a police officer from being free to commit rape and murder, it moves us closer to stopping other police officers from abusing their power and status to harm women and girls.
“Women’s organisations have long called for non-contact sexual offences such as indecent exposure to be taken seriously, in a reality in which most women don’t report them, police officers fail to investigate or take them seriously, and it is trivialised across society. Online abuse sees the same response. This cannot go on. Our justice agencies and wider society must take seriously these acts which are often part of patterns of offending that can ultimately include rape and murder.
“It is absolutely devastating that the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard was entirely preventable. It is clear from this report that Couzens should never have been employed as a police officer or permitted to continue a career in policing. The Government and police leaders must urgently heed the inquiry’s recommendations and work with expert women’s organisations to transform the culture of policing to root out misogyny, racism and other forms of discrimination, and demonstrate transparency and accountability at all levels. We will not accept any more failings, excuses, and missed opportunities to prevent police perpetrating violence against women and children.”
Among the recommendations made by the inquiry were:
• Every force should commit to being anti-sexist, anti-misogynist and anti-racist, and to address, understand and eradicate sexism, misogyny and racism. This includes rooting out ‘banter’ that veils toxic behaviour;
• All police forces should have a specialist policy on investigating all sexual offences, including indecent exposure. This includes improving training and guidance, a review to improve how it is treated within the criminal justice system, research into the links between this form of offending and subsequent contact offending, a public information campaign, and a review of reports against serving police officers; and
• Greater scrutiny and accountability of police officers via vetting, information-sharing, and well resourced recourse for women officers and staff to report inappropriate behaviours (and for them to be properly investigated).
The Home Office said since 2021, it has provided funding towards a new Violence Against Women and Girls Policing Taskforce, to implement a new police strategy for improving the response to domestic abuse, rape, sexual offences and stalking. As part of this, a national policing role was created to help transform and coordinate the police response nationwide, taken up by Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth.
To further support victims, the Government is also funding Operation Soteria, a programme which brings together academics and police forces, to radically transform the way police and the Crown Prosecution Service investigate rape. All police forces and prosecutors in England and Wales are now six months into implementing the National Operating Model, with the number of cases assigned a charge in the latest quarter being over 30 per cent higher than the same period in the previous year.
“Furthermore, we have classified violence against women and girls as a national threat, meaning the police must prioritise their response to it, just as they do with threats like terrorism,” the Home Office said.
“We expect that all sexual offending, including for cases where there is no contact like indecent exposure, are taken very seriously by the police. It is paramount for victims to have the confidence to report these offences, knowing they will get the support they need and that everything will be done to bring offenders to justice.
“As part of these reforms we are already implementing, we are setting out further changes to the police disciplinary system today which will mean that any officer charged with an indictable offence will be automatically suspended from duty until an outcome is reached.”