Sarah Everard: Wayne Couzens due in court after being taken to hospital for second time
Serving police officer charged with kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard
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A Metropolitan Police officer, who has been charged with the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard, is due to appear in court.
Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of kidnap and, later, murder. It is also alleged that he exposed himself twice in a south London fast food restaurant three days prior to the disappearance of Everard on 3 March.
Mr Couzens will appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 13 March , the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
Mr Couzens, who was treated for a head injury on Thursday, which he sustained while alone in his cell, was taken to hospital for a second time on Friday evening for another head injury sustained while in custody.
He has since been discharged and returned to the police station.
Sarah Everard: Everything we know about missing woman and what happened to her
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment to a head injury sustained while in custody in a cell on Friday, March 12.
“He was being monitored by officers and received immediate first aid.
“He was discharged the same day and returned to custody.”
A Reclaim These Streets vigil which was set to be held on Saturday evening in memory of Ms Everard, who was on Friday identified as the human remains that were found by Met police officers on Tuesday, has been cancelled.
On Friday, a High Court judge refused to intervene in a legal battle between the organisers of Reclaim These Streets and the Metropolitan Police, who warned organisers they could be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit a crime if they went ahead with the event and could face tens of thousands of pounds in fixed penalty notices and criminal prosecution under the Serious Crimes Act.
Downing Street urged members of the public on Friday not to break Covid-19 restrictions by attending the vigil, which was set to be held on Clapham Common at 6pm Saturday evening, as well as others around the country.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “We must urge people to remember that we are still in a pandemic and ask that they continue to follow the rules.
“We would ask the public to continue to follow social distancing rules, but we do understand the strength of feelings in this case.”
Everard went missing on 3 March. She was last seen walking from her friend’s home in Clapham to her own in Brixton. The vigils were organised to pay respects to Everard and her family, while also raising awareness for the right for women to feel safe while walking alone.