Sarah Everard missing latest – Human remains found as Met Police officer Wayne Couzens arrested on suspicion of murder

HUMAN remains have today been found in the search for missing Sarah Everard after cops last night arrested a serving Met Police officer over her disappearance.

The 33-year-old vanished last week as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south west London.

The Metropolitan Police tonight confirmed human remains have been found in Ashford, Kent.

A serving Met Police officer has been arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnap in the hunt for missing Sarah Everard.

Wayne Couzens, a 48-year-old father-of-two, is a Met Police armed diplomatic protection officer stationed in Westminster and was arrested at his home in Kent last night.

His work saw him provide protection at major public events attended by senior members of the Royal Family.

Met Police this afternoon confirmed a serving officer was arrested last night on suspicion of kidnap and was further arrested on suspicion of murder and a separate allegation of indecent exposure.

Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick tonight said: "The discovery was made in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent.

"In this early stage we are not able to confirm any identity and that may take us some considerable time.

"The news today that it was Mmetropolitan Police officer has sent shock waves and anger through he public and through the met.

"I speak on behalf of all my colleagues when i say that we are utterly appalled at this dreadful news."

Sarah, 33, vanished while walking home from a friend's house after 9pm last Wednesday and hasn't been seen or heard from since.

She left her pal's house about 9pm last Wednesday and should have returned home to nearby Brixton around 50 minutes later.

Sarah was last seen walking alone on a doorbell camera on the Poynders Road section of the South Circular – about halfway between her friend's house and her own flat.

Follow our live blog below for the latest developments in the case…

  • Hana Carter

    EXTRA PATROLS

    Speaking from Scotland Yard tonight, Met Commissioner Cressida Dick said: "You should expect to see continued police patrols in the area and continued large scale investigations.

    "My thoughts tonight are with Sarah, her family and her loved ones."

  • Hana Carter

    BODY FOUND IN WOODLAND IN ASHFORD, KENT

    Cressida Dick praised officers working on the case who have been working 'around the clock' to find Sarah
  • Hana Carter

    MET 'UNDERSTANDS' THAT WOMEN IN SURROUNDING AREAS ARE 'FEELING SCARED'

    Dick has attempted to reassure women living in London and the surrounding areas.

    Speaking on Sky News just moments ago, she said: "Londoners will want to know that it is thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets, but I completely understand that despite that, women in London and the wider public, particularly those in the area where Sarah went missing will be worried and may be feeling scared."

  • Hana Carter

    "UTTERLY APPALLED BY THIS DREADFUL NEWS"

    The Chief of London's police said: "The discovery was made in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent.

    "In this early stage we are not able to confirm any identity and that may take us some considerable time.

    "Specialist officers have updated Sarah's family on the investigation.

    "The news today that it was a metropolitan police officer has sent shock waves and anger through he public and through the met.

    "I speak on behalf of all my colleagues when i say that we are utterly appalled at this dreadful news."

  • Hana Carter

    'HUMAN REMAINS' FOUND

    Commissioner Cressida Dick said: "My thoughts and prayers are with Sarahs friends and family at this painful time.

    "As are you are aware a man has been arrested on suspicion of Sarah's murder.

    "This evening detectives and search teams have found very sadly what appears to be human remains."

  • Hana Carter

    CRESSIDA DICK CONFIRMS BODY HAS BEEN FOUND

    Metropolitan police commissioner Cressida Dick has confirmed that a body has been found in the search for Sarah Everard.

    She made a statement from Scotland Yard, where she expressed her sympathy to Sarah's family and friends.

    She said the body has not yet been identified.

    Full statement to come.

  • Hana Carter

    BREAKING: BODY FOUND

    HUMAN remains have today been found in the search for missing Sarah Everard after cops last night arrested a serving Met Police officer over her disappearance.

    The 33-year-old vanished last week as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south west London.

    The Metropolitan Police tonight confirmed human remains have been found in Ashford, Kent.

  • Hana Carter

    FINGERTIP SEARCH

    Sarah was last seen on Wednesday night – seen on a doorbell camera on the Poynders Road section of the South Circular – about halfway between her friend’s house and her own flat.

    Detectives searching for the missing marketing executive earlier cordoned off a main road to search a housing complex close to where Sarah’s phone last pinged.

    Officers carried out fingertip searches, while divers and sniffer dogs checked ponds and drains in the area.

    And police have appealed for motorists who may have driving near her route home to send in their dash-cam footage.

  • Hana Carter

    WHO IS WAYNE COUZENS?

    Wayne is an armed diplomatic protection officer based in Westminster, and was arrested at his Kent home.

    His work saw him provide protection at major public events attended by senior members of the Royal Family with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command also responsible for guarding Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster.

    Met Police this afternoon confirmed a serving officer was arrested last night on suspicion of kidnap.

    They said he was further arrested today on suspicion of murder and a separate allegation of indecent exposure.

    PC Couzens is thought to have been a late entrant to the police, joining around 10 years ago after previously working at a family garage repairs business in Dover.

    One ex-colleague of PC Couzens said: "It is truly shocking that he has been arrested over Sarah's disappearance."

  • Hana Carter

    POLICE GUARD THE HOME IN KENT

  • Hana Carter

    DO YOU KNOW WAYNE COUZENS?

    If you do, contact The Sun [email protected] or WhatsApp 07423 720 250.

  • Hana Carter

    LONDON’S MAYOR SENDS THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO SARAH’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS

    Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “First and foremost I think all of our thoughts would be with Sarah’s family, her parents and her siblings and her friends.

    “It must be awful for them, they are in our thoughts and prayers. Actually Sarah went missing from near to where I live and we’ve seen, my wife and daughters walking around, the posters her friends have put up and it’s heart-breaking, it’s heart-wrenching.”

    He said he is in regular contact with the Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick about the investigation.

    Mr Khan added: “It is now in the public domain that a serving Met Police officer has been arrested.

    “One of the things that this confirms that actually our police service, when it comes to keeping the public safe, when it comes to investigating crime, they work in a situation that is without fear or favour. They will follow the investigation to wherever it takes.”

  • Hana Carter

    'TOTALLY BAFFLED'

    Sarah Everard's family has been left "totally baffled" after a serving Westminster cop was arrested over her disappearance.

    Dad-of-two Wayne Couzens, 48, is in custody after the 33-year-old went missing last week as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south west London.

    Sarah, a marketing manager, should have made it back to her Brixton home by about 10pm on Wednesday night – but hasn't been seen since.

    Her distraught family today said they are "hoping and praying she is found alive" after Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested.

    Sarah's uncle Nick Everard told The Sun Online: "We know they arrested an armed officer but we don't know him.

    "It’s really shocked us all.

    Wayne Couzens has been arrested
  • Hana Carter

    WOMEN SLAM 'VICTIM BLAMING' ON TWITTER

    Women have defended Sarah on Twitter after discussions online allegedly lead to 'victim blaming'.

    Alicia wrote on twitter: "The victim blaming I have seen over the last two days regarding Sarah Everard is disgusting. The question shouldn't be why was Sarah walking home at 9.30pm on her own, it should be why is it STILL not safe for women to walk on their own at night without fear!"

    Sophie Gallagher wrote: "Keys between fingers, walking in the middle of the road, avoiding gaps in hedges or entrances to alleyways, phone on, headphones out, cross the road, check over your shoulder. We aren't born doing this stuff, we learn over years of watching women's trauma play out."

  • Hana Carter

    SARAH’S FINAL MOVEMENTS

    Sarah begins walking the 50-minute journey back to her home in nearby Brixton.

    The marketing manager is believed to have walked across Clapham Common.

    Her uncle Nick Everard describes her as a “bright young woman, very sensible” who had lived in London “for a long time so I imagine was very streetwise”.

  • Hana Carter

    POLICE ASK FOR PEOPLE TO OFFER INFORMATION

  • Hana Carter

     

  • Hana Carter

    ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER SAYS ARREST IS ‘SERIOUS AND SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT’

    AC Ephgrave said last night: “The arrest this evening is a serious and significant development.

    “We will continue to work with all speed on this investigation but the fact that the arrested man is a serving Metropolitan Police officer is both shocking and deeply disturbing.

    “I understand there will be significant public concern but it is essential that the investigative team are given the time and space to continue their work.”

  • Niamh Cavanagh

    POLICE HELICOPTER SEEN OVER WOODLAND IN KENT

    A police helicopter could be seen hovering over an area of woodland in Kent as the search for missing woman Sarah Everard continues.

    The helicopter had been flying low around the former Great Chart Golf and Leisure complex, west of Ashford, which police have cordoned off. A forensics van entered the disused site at about 4pm.

    One local resident, who only gave his name as Keith, said most of the woodland surrounding the golf course is privately owned.

    The 73-year-old, of Etchden Road, said he was woken in the early hours of Wednesday to police searching the fields around his property.

    He said: "I think they arrived about 12.30am. They came up my garden with flashlights and dogs, searching all the outbuildings. It was the Met Police.

    "The officer said they were searching for a missing person."

  • Niamh Cavanagh

    PICTURED

    Police have cordoned off a scene near Ashford in Kent.

  • Niamh Cavanagh

    DETECTIVES SEARCH COP'S LOCKER AT POLICE BASE

    Detectives investigating Sarah’s disappearance are also today carrying out a search of his locker at the police base in the Palace of Westminster where he worked.

  • Niamh Cavanagh

    SARAH'S FAMILY LEFT 'TOTALLY BAFFLED' AFTER COPS ARREST

    Sarah Everard's family has been left "totally baffled" after a serving Westminster cop was arrested over her disappearance.

    Dad-of-two Wayne Couzens, 48, is in custody after the 33-year-old went missing last week as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south west London.

    Sarah's uncle Nick Everard told The Sun Online: "We know they arrested an armed officer but we don't know him.

    "It’s really shocked us all.

    “We’re just waiting for some more information to come through.

    “We are hoping and praying she is found alive. I’m in constant contact with my brother and police are keeping him informed.”

  • Niamh Cavanagh

    COP ARRESTED

    Wayne Couzens has been arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnap over the disappearance of Sarah Everard.

    Dad-of-two Couzens, 48, is in custody after the 33-year-old went missing last week as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south west London.

  • Niamh Cavanagh

    CONTINUED

    His farm is located almost three miles to the south-west of the Great Chart Golf and Leisure complex, where police can be seen. Mr Batt said he had not seen any suspicious activity in the area.

    Police have closed off Fridd Lane, which is west of the golf course and borders a wooded area.

    A 69-year-old woman, who lives near Fridd Lane, said police arrived around midnight.

    The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "Police cars were turning around in our yard and then a helicopter came over about 3am or 4am.

    "We just thought they were looking for someone. They didn't speak to us."

  • Niamh Cavanagh

    POLICE SEARCHED FORMER KENT GOLF COURSE SAYS LOCAL RESIDENTS

    Police looking for missing woman Sarah Everard began searching the area around a former Kent golf course overnight, according to local residents.

    Retired farmer Derek Batt, 72, of Fridd Farm, located north of the village of Bethersden, said officers visited his property late on Tuesday.

    He said: "They visited last night and had a look around. They said they were investigating a missing person. I said 'is it Sarah that I have seen on TV?' and she (the officer) said 'yes'."

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