Cop who raped, killed Sarah Everard to spend rest of life in prison

London, Sep 30 (EFE).- Police officer Wayne Couzens was Thursday handed a rare, whole life sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March this year.

Old Bailey Judge Adrian Fulford said that Couzens’ abuse of police powers was a deciding factor in handing down the harshest sentence possible in the United Kingdom.

Couzens, a former Metropolitan Police officer, lured Everard off the streets of south London on 3 March as he “hunted” for women in a rental vehicle, the court was told during the two-day sentencing.

Investigators believe he used a police warrant and handcuffs to get Everard into his vehicle.

He then drove 125 kilometers to a wooded zone near Ashford in Kent, where he raped and murdered Everard before burning her body.

The case sparked huge outcry in the UK, triggering a national debate on violence against women and trust in the police. EFE

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