Wayne Couzens’ horrific historical past of sexual offending revealed for the FIRST time: Killer cop ‘kidnapped lady at knifepoint, sexually assaulted younger lady and raped two girls in assaults greater than 10 years aside’…how was he EVER allowed to affix the police?

Wayne Couzens’ horrific historical past of sexual offending was immediately revealed for the primary time – prompting questions on how Sarah Everard’s assassin was ever allowed to affix the police.

The killer cop is accused of kidnapping a girl at knifepoint in 1995, sexually assaulting a younger lady and raping two girls in assaults greater than 10 years aside.

Repeated alternatives have been missed to cease Couzens that left him in a position to keep a cop regardless of being a serial intercourse offender with a fame for disturbing sexual behaviour that led to a nickname of ‘the Rapist’. 

An inquiry has discovered Couzens’ historical past of alleged sexual offending dated again practically 20 years earlier than he kidnapped, raped and murdered advertising government Ms Everard in Clapham, south London, in 2021.

The married father of two – who first joined Kent Police in 2006 – was reported to officers eight occasions for indecent publicity between 2008 and 2021 however continued within the service because of ‘torpid and insufficient’ investigations, immediately’s report discovered.

Inquiry chair Woman Elish Angiolini recognized no less than 5 incidents which weren’t reported to police and warned there could possibly be extra victims. 

Each Kent and the Metropolitan Police have been criticised for insufficient investigations into claims of indecent publicity towards Couzens. 

He had a protracted historical past of alleged sexual offending earlier than he kidnapped, raped and murdered Ms Everard in March 2021.

His alleged offences embody eight experiences of indecent publicity handed to police.

At present it additionally emerged for the primary time Couzens, now 51, allegedly carried out a ‘very severe sexual assault of a kid barely into her teenagers’ whereas he was in his twenties. 

Couzens was accused of making an attempt to kidnap a girl at knifepoint in North London in 1995 whereas aged 23.

He was additionally accused of raping two girls and indecently touching a person in a bar whereas sporting a blonde wig. 

He’s additionally mentioned to have raped a girl throughout a singles evening in east London between late 2006 and early 2007 and in addition raped one other lady underneath a bridge within the capital in October 2019.

Woman Elish discovered the married father of two ‘may and may’ have stopped from getting a job as an officer, and that with no radical overhaul of British policing, there may be ‘nothing to cease one other Couzens working in plain sight’. 

The inquiry staff discovered that there have been situations the place he confirmed excessive violent pornography to mates and police colleagues, in a transfer to check their boundaries, and despatched unsolicited photographs of his genitals to girls. 

There was a sequence of incidents the place he was accused of flashing – three of which he was sentenced for final 12 months, regardless of already having acquired an entire life jail time period for Sarah Everard’s homicide.

These have been masturbating in entrance of a lone feminine bike owner in a Kent nation lane in 2020, and twice exposing his genitals to employees at a quick meals restaurant in February 2021 within the days earlier than Sarah’s homicide.

He drove his personal automobile and used his personal bank card on the outlet however no motion was taken on the time, with investigating officer Laptop Samantha Lee later sacked for failing to research correctly.

One other two comparable incidents on the quick meals restaurant have been ordered to lie on file, and there have been two incidents in 2008 and 2021 that have been reported to the Met and Kent respectively on the time when Couzens allegedly uncovered himself, however there was inadequate proof to convey prices.

In 2015, a member of the general public reported having seen a person driving round in Kent together with his genitalia uncovered, giving the make, mannequin, color and registration variety of the automobile.

Couzens was recognized because the keeper of the automobile however Kent Police closed the investigation with no additional motion and with out even talking to him.

Woman Elish Angiolini mentioned: ‘This was a grave error and a really apparent pink flag.

‘By failing to correctly examine the allegation, Kent Police missed a worthwhile alternative to disrupt and even stop Couzens’ future offending and to convey into query his place as an authorised firearms officer with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.’

Kent Police apologised immediately for what it admitted was a ‘flawed’ investigation. 

An additional incident the place Couzens was allegedly seen masturbating with intent to shock a passerby in 2004 was reported to the Met after Sarah’s homicide, however there was not sufficient proof to convey a cost.

Woman Elish mentioned she was ‘astonished’ to study that Couzens would have handed vetting for the Metropolitan Police even when the power had identified a few earlier accusation of indecent publicity. 

She known as for indecent publicity to be taken extra significantly and victims inspired to report crimes.

‘The inquiry was struck by the similarities in method between the investigations in relation to the June 2015 allegation and the 2021 drive-through restaurant offences.

‘Each appeared destined to fail from the beginning, involving poor recording and decision-making and missing the optimistic steps that might probably have led to the identification of the suspect and detection of the crime.

‘Moderately than embarking on a means of detailed, thorough and time-consuming proof gathering, the officers displayed apathy and disinterest and located causes to not pursue the instances.’

Woman Elish has known as for an instantaneous evaluate of indecent publicity allegations towards serving law enforcement officials.

Setting out a raft of suggestions to ‘ensure that one thing like this could by no means occur once more’, Woman Elish mentioned: ‘Wayne Couzens ought to by no means have been a police officer. And, with no important overhaul, there may be nothing to cease one other Couzens working in plain sight. Now’s the time for change.’

She urged ‘all these in authority in each police power within the nation’ to learn the report and ‘take speedy motion’.

Among the many measures, Woman Elish known as for an pressing evaluate of indecent publicity prices towards serving officers and mentioned experiences of the crime have to be taken significantly.

The inquiry chair continued: ‘Though Wayne Couzens was not wholly a product of his working environments, these environments did nothing to discourage his misogynistic view of ladies and meant that offering he offered himself as skilled his deviant behaviour exterior of labor may flourish.

‘Police leaders have to radically remodel their method to police tradition if future offenders like Couzens are to be denied alternatives to abuse police powers for sexual goal.’

She went on: ‘Failures of investigations, failures of HR processes, and failures of vetting coverage and follow are a depressingly acquainted chorus in policing, Now’s the time for change.

‘With no important overhaul, there may be nothing to cease one other Wayne Couzens working in plain sight.’

Miss Everard’s mom Sue, father Jeremy, sister Katie and brother James mentioned in a press release: ‘It’s apparent that Wayne Couzens ought to by no means have been a police officer. While holding a place of belief, in relative he was a serial intercourse offender.

‘Warning indicators have been neglected all through his profession and alternatives to confront him have been missed.

‘We consider that Sarah died as a result of he was a police officer – she would by no means have gotten right into a stranger’s automobile.’

Couzens – who won’t ever be launched from jail – used his standing as a police officer to trick Miss Everard into pondering he may arrest her for breaking lockdown guidelines in place through the coronavirus pandemic.

After the horrific killing, it emerged there had been considerations about Couzens’s behaviour whereas he was a police officer, with experiences he was nicknamed ‘the rapist’. 

He joined Kent Police as a particular constable in 2002, turned an officer with the civil nuclear constabulary in 2011 after which moved to the Met in 2018.

Couzens indecently uncovered himself thrice earlier than the homicide, together with twice at a drive-through fast-food restaurant in Kent within the days previous to the killing.

He was not caught regardless of driving his personal automobile and utilizing his personal bank card on the time.

Met police constable Samantha Lee was sacked and barred from being a police officer after it was discovered she had not correctly investigated the incidents.

Couzens was additionally later revealed to have been a part of a WhatsApp group with fellow officers that shared disturbing racist, homophobic and misogynist remarks.

Ordered by then house secretary Priti Patel, the inquiry tasked with how Couzens got here to be a police officer and was in a position to perform the homicide has to this point price £2.9 million, in accordance with figures to September final 12 months.

The primary part of the inquiry thought-about proof masking a 20-year interval, reviewing greater than 100,000 pages of paperwork and finishing up 144 interviews, prompting 76 conclusions and making 16 suggestions for enchancment.

Woman Elish discovered that with out main adjustments there may be nothing in place to cease one other monster like Couzens going undetected.

She mentioned: ‘Failures of investigations, failures of recruitment processes, and failures of vetting coverage and follow are a depressingly acquainted chorus in policing.

‘Now’s the time for change and I’ve made 16 suggestions to convey in regards to the crucial adjustments.

‘Wayne Couzens ought to by no means have been a police officer. And, with no important overhaul, there may be nothing to cease one other Wayne Couzens working in plain sight.’

There have been additionally failures in vetting, with Couzens hiding the extent of debt that he was in and exaggerating the period of time he spent within the Territorial Military.

Couzens failed vetting to develop into an everyday officer in 2008, however was allowed to stay as a particular with all the identical powers as an everyday constable and was permitted to work alone.

When he joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, an outdoor power – Thames Valley Police – carried out vetting and located that he shouldn’t be recruited, according to guidelines round officers with heavy private money owed, however this was ignored.

In 2018, when he joined the Metropolitan Police, a search of the Police Nationwide Database, an intelligence database, discovered ‘no hint’. 

In reality there have been entries about an incident in 2013 when he was reported lacking from house, and an allegation of indecent publicity from 2015.

These have been additionally missed when he utilized to be a firearms officer the next 12 months.

The Met instructed the inquiry that it might nonetheless have recruited Couzens even when this info had been accessible, which the report mentioned was ‘of great concern’.

Whereas he fastidiously managed how he was seen by colleagues, Couzens spent his working life in environments dominated by males that did nothing to discourage his warped beliefs, the inquiry discovered.

The report units out failures in vetting and the investigation into allegations of indecent publicity that meant Couzens was in a position to work for 3 completely different police forces regardless of being a sexual predator. 

His historical past of unmanaged debt, alleged sexual offending and desire for violent excessive pornography went again practically 20 years earlier than he dedicated homicide.

‘The proof seen by the inquiry has proven that failures in recruitment and vetting meant Couzens was in a position to proceed a policing profession which ought to have been denied to him,’ Woman Elish mentioned.

‘Failures in investigations into allegations of indecent publicity meant alternatives to disrupt Couzens’ offending and convey his policing profession to a halt have been missed.

‘It’s clear Couzens fastidiously managed the impression he gave individuals of himself. This included the way in which he manipulated info on software varieties and his troubled funds.

‘It additionally included the way in which he shared his callous views in the direction of girls with solely a really small group of like-minded individuals on a social media group.

‘This all enabled him to focus on weak girls whereas working in plain sight as an apparently unremarkable officer.

‘Nonetheless, the very fact stays that three separate police forces allowed him the privilege of being a police officer once they may and may have stopped him.’

Chatting with journalists because the report was revealed, Woman Elish mentioned work must be accomplished to make sure there ‘is not sufficient Couzens working in plain sight’. 

She remembered Miss Everard ‘whose life was lower quick by probably the most unimaginable cruelty’, and paid tribute to her household saying: ‘I’ve been profoundly affected by their grief, and their grace in struggling.’

Woman Elish continued: ‘Sarah’s homicide by an off-duty police officer shocked the nation. It triggered a surge of discourse about girls’s security in public areas and began a tidal wave of reporting on police misconduct, significantly the place officers misused their powers to commit sexual offences.

‘What’s already clear is how a lot harm Couzens has accomplished to the social contract on which policing is predicated and the way important enhancements are required.’

James Cleverly mentioned Miss Everard was ‘failed in additional methods than one by the individuals who have been meant to maintain her secure’.

The House Secretary mentioned: ‘The act of pure evil dedicated towards Sarah shocked the nation to its core.

‘My coronary heart goes out to Sarah’s household and to all of the courageous victims who got here ahead to assist inform this report and drive change.

‘The person who dedicated these crimes isn’t a mirrored image on nearly all of devoted law enforcement officials working day in, day trip to assist individuals.

‘However Sarah was failed in additional methods than one by the individuals who have been meant to maintain her secure, and it laid naked wider points in policing and society that have to be urgently fastened.

‘Within the three years since, a root-and-stem clean-up of the policing workforce has been underway and we’ve made large strides – in addition to making tackling violence towards girls and women a nationwide policing precedence to be handled on par with terrorism.

‘However we are going to proceed to do the whole lot in our energy to guard girls and women. I’m grateful to Woman Elish for her meticulous investigation. Her insights will likely be invaluable as we transfer ahead in supporting our police to construct forces of the very best requirements of integrity and regain the belief of the British public.’

Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley mentioned: ‘There’s nothing we will say to the household of Sarah Everard and all those that liked her that may convey how very sorry we’re.

‘Wayne Couzens’ crimes have been horrific. The truth that he abused his place as a Metropolitan Police officer to hold them out represents probably the most appalling betrayal of belief.

‘It damages the connection between the general public and the police and exposes long-standing elementary flaws in the way in which we determine who’s match to be a police officer and the way in which we pursue those that corrupt our integrity as soon as they get in.

‘The report revealed immediately is an pressing name to motion for all of us in policing.

‘We should go additional and quicker to earn again the belief of all these whose confidence in policing has been shaken by occasions of latest years.

‘No matter our important progress over the previous 12 months, the size of the change that’s wanted inevitably means it’ll take time and it’s not but full.

‘Nearly all of my Met colleagues share my willpower to reform by each confronting the danger posed by predatory males in policing, and in addition, enhancing our safety of ladies and kids throughout London.’

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan vowed to make sure ‘classes are discovered’ from the Angiolini Inquiry.

Mr Khan, who can also be the equal of the police and crime commissioner for the capital, mentioned in a press release: ‘The report by Dame Elish Angiolini shines a lightweight on systematic failings in police investigations, vetting and the dealing with of misconduct allegations. All of us have to carefully look at and think about all of the findings of the inquiry.

‘I am decided to make sure classes are discovered and acted upon rapidly by the police as a part of a means of main reform – not simply in London, however throughout the nation – to lift requirements, strengthen vetting and, above all else, stop something like this from ever taking place once more.’

He added that police laws should be ‘strengthened’ to make it tougher for individuals who have confronted severe allegations about their behaviour to affix any police power.

‘And police disciplinary processes should be reformed to make it simpler and faster to take away officers who fall beneath the excessive requirements rightly anticipated of those that are entrusted to maintain us secure,’ he mentioned.

‘As I’ve been saying for a while, the general public deserve higher from the Met and police forces throughout the nation. There should be no hiding place for individuals who abuse their place of belief and authority throughout the police.’

The inquiry continues in two components, wanting on the crimes of David Carrick and wider issues throughout the police within the wake of each instances. 

The Metropolitan Police mentioned final September that greater than 1,000 officers have been at present suspended or on restricted duties whereas underneath investigation for corruption and different types of misconduct, together with sexual offences, home abuse or racial harassment.

The Met got here underneath additional criticism when a March 2021 vigil involving a whole bunch of ladies that aimed to spotlight the broader violence towards girls and women was dispersed over allegations it breached coronavirus lockdown restrictions on mass gatherings in impact on the time.