Case Study: Sarah Everard
The murder of Sarah Everard highlights the need for strong government action to reduce violence against women and girls.
What happened to Sarah Everard?
Sarah Everard was a 33-year-old living in London. She disappeared on the 3rd of March 2021 when walking home from a friend’s house. On the 9th of March, a Metropolitan Police Officer, Wayne Couzens, was arrested on suspicion of her kidnap and murder. Sarah Everard's remains were found on the 10th of March in Kent.
Vigils for Sarah Everard and 'Reclaim These Streets'
Vigils were planned for Everard on the 13th March, the largest of which was on Clapham Common. These were organised by a new campaign group called ‘Reclaim These Streets’. The group was urged not to hold these vigils due to Covid-19 risks. As a result, several cities moved their vigils online.
The vigil on Clapham Common took place with hundreds of people attending throughout the day, including the Duchess of Cambridge.
The Metropolitan Police decided to break up the crowd in the evening with officers arresting attendees and walking over flowers that had been laid. This reaction prompted anger from the public and politicians as the images were quickly and widely shared on social media.
Wayne Couzens sentencing
In July 2021, Couzens pled guilty to murder. In September he was sentenced to life imprisonment and given a whole life order (never to be released from prison except in exceptional circumstances).
What was the impact of the Sarah Everard case on wider society?
In response to the high levels of public concern following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer, the Metropolitan Police Service set up an independent review which was led by Baroness Louise Casey.
The review group published its report in March 2023 detailing several key conclusions including strong criticism in respect of the way the Metropolitan Police Force was managed, how it ensures its officers maintain the highest standards and heavily criticising the culture with the Metropolitan Police Force.
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) also conducted an independent inspection into the Metropolitan Police Force’s conduct at the vigil for Sarah Everard. In its conclusions, the Inspectorate stated that the Metropolitan Police Force acted appropriately, but it did make criticism of the police for misreading the law during the period of Covid lackdown and for failing to work more closely with ‘Reclaim These Streets’.
The UK Government has also responded to violence within society against women. After a huge second national consultation exercise, which sought evidence on crimes which disproportionately affect women, the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy was launched in July 2021. The strategy aims to ensure women and girls are safe everywhere – at home, online and on the streets.
The Angiolini Inquiry
Another independent inquiry known as The Angiolini Inquiry, led by Lady Elish Angiolini KC, was initiated by the then Home Secretary in late 2021 to investigate the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard by a police officer. This investigation resulted in the release of The Angiolini Inquiry Part 1 Report on February 29th, 2024.
Key findings from the report include:
- Three police forces—Kent, the CNC, and the Met—failed to recognise warning signs indicating the unsuitability of Couzens for his role, despite opportunities for intervention.
- Couzens misused his authority as a police officer, utilizing his knowledge of police powers to wrongfully detain Sarah Everard.
- Police investigations into allegations of indecent exposure by Couzens in 2015, 2020, and 2021 were flawed.
- Couzens' actions are seen as part of a broader pattern of sexism and misogyny within police culture.
In response to the report, Lady Elish provided 16 recommendations for government and policing leaders aimed at preventing future abuses of power by officers.
In Scotland, the Equally Safe Strategy has been running since 2018. It too seeks to ensure that all forms of violence against women and girls are eliminated and that all individuals, including women and girls, live free from violence and abuse and the attitudes which perpetuate these unacceptable behaviours.
