Wayne Couzens pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts of indecent exposure between November 2020 and February 2021
(Picture: PA Wire)Two police officers are facing misconduct cases over the handling of allegations of indecent exposure by Wayne Couzens before he went on to kidnap, rape and murder Sarah Everard.
Couzens is now serving a whole life sentence for the murder of Ms Everard, who was snatched from the streets of South London as she walked home alone, while police forces are under intense scrutiny over the handling of allegations against Couzens prior to the killing.
On Monday, the former PC, 49, pleaded guilty to indecent exposure in November 2020 when he flashed a female cyclist, as well as two incidents of flashing at a Kent takeaway in February 2021.
Details of the case show an escalating pattern of behaviour prior to the murder which shocked the nation, as well as a series of missed opportunities to stop him.
The last incident happened on February 28, three days before Ms Everard’s murder, and it has been revealed police had evidence linking the sex crimes to Couzens but did not act fast enough to catch him.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has now revealed a Metropolitan Police constable is facing a gross misconduct charge and a Kent Police sergeant is also facing misconduct proceedings in relation to the Couzens case.
IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem said: “We have been unable to publish our findings until now due to the risk of prejudicing criminal proceedings against Couzens.
“Now that those have concluded it will be for the Metropolitan and Kent police forces to organise disciplinary proceedings which will consider the evidence we have gathered and determine whether the allegations against the officers are proven or not.”
The Met PC faces allegations of breaching police standards of professional behaviour for duties and responsibilities for alleged failings over the way inquiries were progressed, the IOPC said.
It is also said standards of honesty and integrity were breached “over parts of an account provided to IOPC investigators in respect of the alleged failings”.
The officer was involved in the investigation into the February 2021 takeaway flashing offences committed by Couzens.
Evidence, including Couzens’ car numberplate, a description of him, and details of his bank card used to buy food and drink, were offered to police on February 28, 2021.
The officer did not visit the restaurant until March 3, on the day Sarah Everard was kidnapped.
“We considered whether local and national policies were followed in relation to the gathering of any available CCTV evidence, checks on a vehicle used by the alleged offender, and if evidential material was correctly dealt with”, said the IOPC.
“We concluded that the constable has a case to answer for gross misconduct.”
A second Met officer had no case to answer over the supervision of the indecent exposure enquiries, the body said.
In a separate probe, the IOPC found a Kent Sergeant has a case to answer over the investigation of a June 2015 incident in Dover when a pedestrian reported seeing a half-naked man driving a car which has now been linked to Couzens.
The Sergeant is accused of “alleged failures in following all reasonable lines of enquiry before the case was closed”, said the IOPC, adding: “We found no evidence to suggest that Wayne Couzens was identified as a police officer and he was not spoken to.”
Couzens pleaded not guilty to that offence on Monday.
He faces a sentencing hearing on March 6 over the three indecent exposure charges he has admitted. A further three were left to lie on file.
He is already serving a whole life sentence for the murder of Ms Everard.
