Mother's Heartfelt Tribute to Sarah Everard on Fifth Anniversary of Tragic Murder
Susan Everard has paid a moving tribute to her daughter Sarah, describing her as a "beautiful" young woman who had "her whole life ahead of her" on the fifth anniversary of her murder. In a poignant piece for Vogue Magazine, Mrs Everard remembered her daughter's love of travel, dancing, and her wonderful sense of humour, alongside her principled nature and integrity.
Remembering a Vibrant Life Cut Short
Mrs Everard released a previously unseen photograph of her daughter taken more than a decade before her death, showing Sarah at V Festival in 2010 as part of a street fashion series for Vogue. "It was 2010 when the photograph was taken and, although it is bittersweet, I love to see her, happy and beautiful, with her whole life ahead of her," Mrs Everard wrote. "It was a golden time when she had recently graduated and was back home from travels to south-east Asia and already making plans for future adventures."
The 33-year-old marketing executive had travelled extensively to South America, South Africa and Nepal, with her mother noting: "She was interested in the world around her and made the most of life. There was a depth to her, she led her life with decency and integrity."
A Life of Connection and Principle
Mrs Everard described her daughter as thoughtful, dependable and highly principled, noting that she "cared about others and worried about us in the pandemic." She remembered Sarah's large network of dear friends, with whom the family now meets to celebrate her life. "I miss the goodness of Sarah," she wrote, adding that she misses little things like swapping recipes with her daughter.
"Most of all, she was a loving and caring young woman; her many friendships are a testament to her lovely nature. She added to the beauty of the world," her mother concluded, describing Sarah as "a beautiful dancer" with a wonderful sense of humour.
Police Commissioner Acknowledges Family's Dignity
The tribute was published as Britain's most senior police officer Sir Mark Rowley hailed the family's "extraordinary dignity in the face of unbearable grief" on the fifth anniversary of Sarah's murder. Miss Everard was raped and killed by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens on March 3, 2021, after he tricked her into thinking she could be arrested for breaking Covid lockdown rules as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south London.
In a statement issued by the force, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark said: "Sarah Everard should still be here. Five years have passed since her senseless and devastating murder. What happened to her was a profound betrayal: of her, of her family and loved ones, and of every person who places their trust in policing."
Systemic Failures and Reform Efforts
Sir Mark acknowledged that the fact she was killed by a serving police officer remains "as devastating today as it was in 2021," calling it "an unthinkable abuse of power and a total violation of the values that the Met, and policing, stands for." A week after disappearing, Miss Everard's body was found in woodland in Kent, where she had been raped, strangled and burned.
Couzens was given a whole-life jail term at the end of his Old Bailey trial in September 2021, and the powerful victim impact statement made by Mrs Everard led to the unmasking of another predator hiding in the ranks of the Met. One of the victims of serial rapist David Carrick was moved to come forward and make a report to police, eventually leading to his conviction.
The cases prompted two damning reviews: a March 2023 report by Baroness Louise Casey that found the Met was institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic, and a February 2024 inquiry by Dame Elish Angiolini that concluded the Met and two other police forces could and should have stopped Couzens being a police officer.
Ongoing Efforts to Reform Policing
Sir Mark has spearheaded efforts to clean up the Met, with 1,500 officers and staff having been sacked, resigned or retired in the past three years. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said there is "much more work to do" to ensure women and girls feel safe in the capital, pledging to do "everything in my power to help end violence against women and girls as we continue to build a safer London for everyone."
Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, added: "Five years on from Sarah Everard's tragic murder, my thoughts today are with her family and all those who loved her. I will do everything I can to ensure women and girls can live free from fear and harm - something Sarah was so cruelly denied."
