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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Milo Boyd & Lyell Tweed

Killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens 'suffering badly' after 'catching Covid in prison'

Convicted rapist and murderer Wayne Couzens has been placed in isolation after catching coronavirus in prison with reports suggesting he is "suffering badly".

The killer former Metropolitan Police officer, who is currently serving a full life term, caught the virus while in HMP Frankland.

He was one of the less than 20 prisoners in the Durham jail infected with Covid.

A section of the prison was closed off to stop the virus's spread, with food and drink left at the door of Couzen's cell, the Mirror reports.

READ MORE: Teenager charged with murder of Dylan Keelan who was stabbed to death

The 48-year-old staged a fake Covid arrest to abduct marketing executive Sarah Everard before raping and killing her in March 2021.

A source told The Sun: “People have been talking about karma, but it looks like he will be OK.

“He’s been suffering quite badly with it though after coming down with symptoms and has been told to isolate in his cell.

“There is not a lot of sympathy for him though, given his former job and what he did with the fake Covid arrest."

They added that measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus meant Couzens was safe from other prisoners on his wing.

Wayne Couzens (PA)

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We have taken precautionary measures at HMP Frankland in line with public health guidance.”

Couzens was moved from Belmarsh to Frankland just before Christmas.

He was taken to hospital on his third day in custody, after being found unconscious in a cell at Wandsworth police station following a suicide attempt while he was awaiting trial.

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Lord Justice Fulford sentencing former police officer Wayne Couzens at the Old Bailey in London (PA)

Because of this he has been segregated on a wing for vulnerable inmates during his time in both prisons.

Couzens - who at the time of his horrific crime was a serving Metropolitan Police officer - was handed a whole-life term in October of this year and is now serving a life sentence in prison.

He is said to have refused food and threatened to go on a hunger strike in protest at his supposed harsh treatment at the jail.

Other inmates of Couzen’s included Lee Rigby’s killer Michael Adebolajo, cop killer David Beiber and Nazi nail-bomber David Copeland.

The infamous Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was also there, until he died last year.

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