Written by Amy Beecham
Charges could be brought against Metropolitan Police officers who allegedly sent and shared inappropriate messages with Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens while he was serving on the force.
A day after Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick was forced to step down for failing to deal with a culture of sexism within the force, three Metropolitan Police officers who worked with Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens could face charges over allegations they shared racist and misogynistic messages with him while he was serving on the force.
Prosecutors are currently considering evidence referred by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into the “alleged sending and sharing of inappropriate messages by police officers”.
Reports claim that the officers had sent “discriminatory messages” over WhatsApp between March and October 2019. The information was recovered from an old mobile phone found during the police probe into Everard’s murder in March 2021.
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service told The Independent: “We are considering a file of evidence referred to us by the IOPC in relation to the alleged sending and sharing of inappropriate messages by police officers.”
The IOPC also commented: “Our investigation into the sending and sharing of inappropriate messages by officers on WhatsApp has been completed.
“We provided a file of evidence to the CPS in December to consider potential offences against three individuals under the Communications Act 2003. We await its decision.”
A spokesperson for the Met confirmed that the two serving officers are on restricted duties, adding: “We are keenly aware that the events following Sarah Everard’s death have rocked the public’s faith in us, and we know that we have to work hard and make real changes in order to earn back that trust.”
Earlier this month, a probe named Operation Hotton found that police at Charing Cross Police Station were found to have sent sexist, racist and homophobic messages that included rape threats and jokes about domestic violence.
While the Met denounced the behaviour as “reprehensible,” it has since emerged that two of the officers investigated were promoted and nine remain within the force.
Couzens is currently serving a whole-life order after kidnapping, raping and murdering the 33-year-old last year, but an ongoing independent inquiry is currently determining whether any ‘red flags’ were missed by the force during his police career.
Images: Everard Family/Getty
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