Sarah Everard: Police officer Wayne Couzens pleads guilty to kidnap and rape of 33-year-old

Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has admitted to the kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard at the Old Bailey.

Ms Everard, 33, vanished while walking home from a friend’s house in Clapham, south London, in March.

Couzens, 48, appeared at the Old Bailey this morning, where he pleaded guilty to kidnapping Ms Everard “unlawfully and by force or fraud” on 3 March, and to rape between 2 March and 10 March.

The defendant only said “guilty, sir” when asked for his plea to the charges.

He also accepted responsibility for the killing of Ms Everard, but no plea was entered, pending medical reports ahead of another hearing on 9 July.

Appearing via video link from Belmarsh Prison, Couzens wore khaki trousers and a grey sweatshirt

Members of Ms Everard’s family were in court to hear the defendant make the pleas.

Ms Everard’s disappearance sparked a major investigation, with her body being found in a woodland in Ashford, Kent, a week later.

Last week, police revealed that Ms Everard’s cause of death was “compression of the neck”.

There is a provisional trial date set for October.

Source : (sky news)