U.K officer who killed Sarah Everard gets life sentence without parole

The big picture: Life sentences are mandatory for murder cases in the U.K., but a court will usually determine a minimum time that must be served before someone is considered for early release, per CNN.

• Judge Adrian Fulford, however, gave Wayne Couzens, the police officer, a whole life term because the seriousness of the case was "exceptionally high," the BBC notes. This means Couzens will never qualify for parole.

What they're saying: "The misuse of a police officer's role such as occurred in this case in order to kidnap, rape and murder a lone victim is of equal seriousness as a murder for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause," Fulford said, per the BBC.

• Fulford described the murder as "grotesque" and told Couzens, "[y]ou've betrayed your family and there's no evidence of genuine contrition."

Catch up quick: Couzens abducted Everard as she walked home from a friend's house on March 3. He used his police identification to convince Everard that she had violated coronavirus regulations, handcuffed her and got her into his car, according to CNN.

• She was later assaulted and strangled. Her body was found a week after her disappearance, about 50 miles away in southeast England.

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