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Sarah Everard’s father, Jeremy, asked for this photo of his daughter to be shown on screens in court at the Old Bailey today as he read a victim impact statement.
(Photo - family handout)
Sarah Everard’s father, Jeremy, asked for this photo of his daughter to be shown on screens in court at the Old Bailey today as he read a victim impact statement.
(Photo - family handout)
Jeremy Everard asked Wayne Couzens, the man who kidnapped, raped and murdered his daughter, to look at him as he read his statement during the sentencing hearing.
He said “Sarah was handcuffed and unable to defend herself. This preys on my mind all the time”
He said “Sarah was handcuffed and unable to defend herself. This preys on my mind all the time”
Looking directly at Couzens, Sarah Everard’s father said: “I can never forgive you for what you have done, for taking Sarah away from us”
He added: “All my family want is Sarah back with us.”
He added: “All my family want is Sarah back with us.”
Jeremy Everard said to Couzens who was listening in the dock:
“No punishment that you receive will ever compare to the pain and torture that you have inflicted on us.”
“No punishment that you receive will ever compare to the pain and torture that you have inflicted on us.”
Earlier, Sarah Everard’s mother, Susan, spoke quietly as she talked about the “brutality and terror” of her daughter’s last hours “alone with someone intent on doing her harm”.
“The thought of it is unbearable”, Mrs Everard said. “I am haunted by the horror of it”
“The thought of it is unbearable”, Mrs Everard said. “I am haunted by the horror of it”
Mrs Everard said in her victim personal statement: “Sarah died in horrendous circumstances.
“I am tormented at the thought of what she endured”
“I am tormented at the thought of what she endured”
Mrs Everard told the court:
“I wonder when she realised she was in mortal danger; I wonder what her murderer said to her. When he strangled her, for how long was she conscious, knowing she would die. It is torture to think of it”
“I wonder when she realised she was in mortal danger; I wonder what her murderer said to her. When he strangled her, for how long was she conscious, knowing she would die. It is torture to think of it”
“I yearn for her”, Mrs Everard said.
Mrs Everard said she was “repulsed” by the thought of Wayne Couzens and what he did to her daughter.
“I am outraged that he masqueraded as a policeman in order to get what he wanted”
“I am outraged that he masqueraded as a policeman in order to get what he wanted”
Sarah’s mother told the court in the morning she wakes up to the awful reality that her daughter is gone.
In the evenings, at the time her daughter was abducted, Mrs Everard said she lets out a silent scream: Dont get in the car, Sarah. Don’t believe him. Run.
In the evenings, at the time her daughter was abducted, Mrs Everard said she lets out a silent scream: Dont get in the car, Sarah. Don’t believe him. Run.
Mrs Everard said they’ve kept Sarah’s dressing gown - “it still smells of her and I hug that instead”
Mrs Everard ended her victim personal statement telling the court about a dream she says she had that Sarah appeared at home.
“In my dream I held her and could feel her physically. Jeremy was there, we were comforting her, saying “it’s alright Sarah, it’s alright”
“In my dream I held her and could feel her physically. Jeremy was there, we were comforting her, saying “it’s alright Sarah, it’s alright”
“I would give anything to hold her once more; I hope I dream that dream again”, Mrs Everard said.
Tomorrow (Thursday) Wayne Couzens will be sentenced for his crimes at the Old Bailey.
Today, prosecutor Tom Little QC said that whilst it was impossible to summarise what Couzens did to Ms Everard in just five words, if it had to be done then it would be more appropriate to do so as “deception, kidnap, rape, strangulation, fire.”
Couzens was a serving Met police officer at the time.
In the period before the attack, the firearms officer had completed a twelve hour shift at the American Embassy.
In the period before the attack, the firearms officer had completed a twelve hour shift at the American Embassy.
Couzens spotted Ms Everard as she walked home from a friends house.
Within five minutes he’d shown her his warrant card, falsely arrested her for a breach of covid regulations and kidnapped her, putting her into the back of his hire car.
Within five minutes he’d shown her his warrant card, falsely arrested her for a breach of covid regulations and kidnapped her, putting her into the back of his hire car.
Couzens then drove for several hours before raping and strangling Ms Everard.
Her remains were found in woodland in Ashford, Kent, a week later.
Her remains were found in woodland in Ashford, Kent, a week later.
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