Priti Patel announces inquiry into how Wayne Couzens kept his Met Police job

She said: ‘Women and girls have said enough is enough’


Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced an inquiry into the “systemic failures” that let Wayne Couzens, the Met Police officer who killed Sarah Everard, keep his job.

Patel said “crimes and acts of violence against women and girls have no place in our society”, and she is increasing efforts to keep women and girls safe.

“Women and girls have said enough is enough”, she told Conservatives at the Tory party conference.

She said: “The public have a right to know what systematic failures enabled his continued employment as a police officer.

“We need answers as to why this was allowed to happen.

“I can confirm today, there will be an inquiry, to give the independent oversight needed, to ensure something like this can never happen again.”

Last week, Wayne Couzens was given a whole-life sentence for the rape, murder and kidnap of Sarah Everard in March this year.

The court heard that Wayne Couzens used had used police ID and handcuffs to kidnap Sarah Everard before murdering her and burning her body.

Speaking to The Tab outside the court he was sentenced in, Queen Mary student Lois said: “I think there’s a lot of issues still to be raised. I’m really happy about the sentencing, I’m not happy with how people are acting outside of the sentencing. This is an issue to do with men and to do with women’s rights, it’s nothing to do with anything else.

“It does still raise the issue of abuses of police power, as women can we trust the police? I’m not sure.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

‘I am so fearful’: Young women outside Old Bailey as Couzens given whole-life sentence

Flag down a bus, and all the other tone-deaf ‘advice’ the Met Police is giving women

In pictures: Protestors gather as Couzens due to be sentenced for Sarah Everard’s murder