Former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has been sentenced to 19 months in prison for indecent exposure, committed in the months before he kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard. The 50-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from Frankland prison, where he is already serving a whole-life sentence for Everard's murder.
Couzens pleaded guilty to three charges of indecent exposure, with three further counts left on file. The offences occurred in Kent between November 2020 and February 2021, while Couzens was on duty and supposed to be working from home. In the first incident on 13 November 2020, he stood naked and masturbating before a female cyclist on a rural lane near Dover.
The cyclist later told the court: 'I remember vividly being concerned that somebody who could expose themselves to a stranger in such an intimidating way could go on to commit much more serious acts. This is what happened.' She said the horror of what happened would remain with her for the rest of her life.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC said Couzens had been on duty but not at home at the time of the first offence. Traffic cameras and cell site data placed him in the area. After Couzens' arrest for Everard's disappearance, the cyclist recognised him from a picture and contacted police again.
Mrs Justice May handed Couzens a 19-month jail term, to run concurrently with his existing whole-life sentence. Couzens showed no reaction as victim statements were read in court.
