Five years after Sarah Everard’s death, Wayne Couzens lives with extra strict prison rules

Five years on from the murder of Sarah Everard, her killer Wayne Couzens is living a tightly controlled life behind bars, segregated from most inmates, under heavy supervision and reportedly complaining about blocked birthday presents and banned video games.

On 3rd March 2021, the former Metropolitan Police officer used his warrant card and handcuffs to falsely arrest 33-year-old Sarah Everard as she walked home in south London. He abused the trust placed in him as a serving officer, abducted her and went on to rape and murder her, a crime that horrified the UK and sparked national protests.

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Now 53, Couzens is serving a whole-life order at HM Prison Frankland in County Durham, a Category A jail sometimes dubbed “Monster Mansion” due to the number of high-profile offenders it houses.

Because of both the nature of his crime and his background in policing, Couzens is considered a target inside. Sources have suggested he cannot safely live on a standard wing and instead remains separated from the general prison population, either in segregation or within a small unit for vulnerable prisoners.

Clinical psychologist Dr Tracy King has previously explained to the Daily Record that high-profile offenders such as Couzens, and fellow child murderer Ian Huntley, present particular challenges in custody. Their crimes carry intense public emotion, increasing the likelihood of hostility from other inmates and requiring heightened monitoring. With ongoing staffing pressures across prisons, maintaining that level of supervision can be difficult.

In 2022, it emerged Couzens had been allowed to purchase an Xbox 360 after reportedly demonstrating good behaviour. However, he is said to have complained when he discovered that violent, adult-rated games were off limits. Reports at the time suggested he had hoped to play titles such as Call of Duty and Gears of War but was restricted to non-violent alternatives instead.

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That same year, reports claimed Couzens formed an unsettling friendship with David Fuller, the double murderer and serial necrophile known as the “Morgue Monster”. The pair were said to have spent time on the same wing at Frankland and reportedly bonded over shared links to Kent.

In April 2024, further reports alleged Couzens lodged a complaint after prison staff blocked a birthday parcel sent by his mother. The package, said to contain clothing and a book, was refused under rules barring inmates from receiving items directly from home. In a grievance to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, he allegedly argued the policy had not been clearly explained and sought reimbursement for the cost.

Last summer, Couzens was taken under heavy guard to an NHS hospital for a lumbar procedure believed to cost around £7,000, with additional security reportedly adding thousands more. The transfer involved a bulletproof Category A van, multiple officers and armed police stationed at the hospital due to the risk posed to him by others. He is understood to have spent three days there before returning to the prison’s healthcare unit. The operation was reportedly intended to relieve ongoing back pain rather than address an emergency condition.

Marking the fifth anniversary of Sarah Everard’s murder, Gemma Sherrington, chief executive of Refuge, said the case continues to raise serious concerns about women’s trust in policing. While reforms have been promised and some changes introduced, she said more meaningful action is still needed to prevent such abuses of power from happening again.

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