British police officer pleads guilty to the rape, kidnapping of Sarah Everard
- Yacob Reyes, author of Axios Tampa Bay
Flowers surround the Clapham Common bandstand memorial for Sarah Everard, who was murdered in March. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Wayne Couzens, a British police officer, pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard Tuesday, AP reports.
Why it matters: The case has spurred outcry throughout the U.K., with women sharing experiences of being threatened or attacked, and about their everyday fear of violence when walking alone.
Details: Everard, 33, was walking home in South London on March 3 when she went missing. Her body was found a week later after a police investigation was launched, and Couzens was charged with Everard’s kidnapping and murder.
Driving the news: The emotional response her case invoked led to an unauthorized vigil on Clapham Common on March 14, which had been banned because of pandemic-related restrictions.
- The Metropolitan police led several women attending the memorial away, grabbing them and putting them in handcuffs, an act that was widely criticized, per AP.
What's next: Another hearing will take place on July 9.
Go deeper: U.K. police criticized for response to vigil for slain Sarah Everard