review into the mm review into the murder of sarah everard _ review into the murder of sarah everard is - an independent review into the murder of sarah everard is due to be published shortly and it will examine whether any red flags were missed in catching her killer, police officer wayne couzens. the former armed met a police officer will never be released from prison after abducting, will never be released from prison afterabducting, raping will never be released from prison after abducting, raping and murdering sarah everard in south london in march 2021. the 51—year—old abused his position as a police officer to trick her into thinking he could arrest her for breaking lockdown rules which were in place at the time. the murder of sarah everard saw an outpouring of anger and grief, and concerns for women's safety. the metropolitan police was criticised for its heavy handling of a vigilfor sarah everard in 2021, during which some women were bundled to the ground and arrested. the met subsequently made payouts to two women. after the murder, it emerged there had been

earlier concerns about wayne couzens�* behaviour, and we are expecting a news conference any moment now. while we are waiting for that, let's bring on our correspondence, simon harrison, i beg your pardon, sam harrison, who will talk us through what we can expect to hear.— expect to hear. well, this is a damnin: expect to hear. well, this is a damning report, _ expect to hear. well, this is a damning report, examining i expect to hear. well, this is a l damning report, examining the conduct of police forces as they looked at the behaviour of wayne couzens. as you will hear over the coming moments, she has not held backin coming moments, she has not held back in her criticism of the police, citing that the force needs a radical overhaul in how it vets and recruits officers, and also how it needs fundamental change in how it deals with cases of indecent exposure. both of which have been highlighted by the brutal behaviour

of wayne couzens. in order to make changes, the first report has been published at three pages long. it doesn't hold back in criticism. it highlights how three separate forces could and should have stopped wayne couzens from being a police officer in the first place. it dates back to 2004, when he first tried to join kent police. he failed his application, but despite that failure, he was still able to become a volunteer constable. in 2006, he failed to gain further vetting clearance and was still recruited as an officer. that was the first chance that a police force had to not retain wayne couzens. another police operation failed to stop bear spot red flags in 2007. 50m; police operation failed to stop bear spot red flags in 2007.— spot red flags in 2007. sorry to interru -t spot red flags in 2007. sorry to interrupt you. _ spot red flags in 2007. sorry to interrupt you, we _ spot red flags in 2007. sorry to interrupt you, we are going - spot red flags in 2007. sorry to interrupt you, we are going to i interrupt you, we are going to lesson in now.

today, the home secretary has laid before parliament the first report of the angiolini inquiry. as a non—status you require, the home secretary is responsible for the report, but it is independent and the result ofjust over two report, but it is independent and the result of just over two years work. the result of “ust over two years work. . . , the result of “ust over two years work. , _, ., , the result of “ust over two years work. ., work. critically, it contains 16 recommendations _ work. critically, it contains 16 recommendations designed l work. critically, it contains 16| recommendations designed to work. critically, it contains 16 - recommendations designed to help prevent a situation where anyone interested with the powers of a serving police officer abuses that trust in such a heinous way again. the fragility of public trust and confidence in policing affects us all, including those good police officers doing the right thing every day. it is time for all of those with responsibility for policing to do everything they can to improve standards of recruitment, vetting and investigation. wayne couzens was never fit to be a police officer. police leaders need to be sure that

there is not another wayne couzens operating in plain sight. before i describe my findings and conclusions, i want to remember sarah everard, whose life was cut short by those unimaginable cruelties. i also want to pay tribute to her loving family, who i have the privilege of getting to know over the last two years. i have been profoundly affected by their grief, and their grace in their suffering. i have also been moved by the courage of those victims who gave evidence to the inquiry of their own experiences, and so grateful that they trusted us. i hope we have done them justice that real change and improvement happens because this report. i do not underestimate the strength, speaking to the inquiry, required to them. i'm make regulations for improvements that need to be made to ensure that women feel safe when they report to the police. i hope those writing about or giving an account of this publication will respect the privacy of those victims. i am grateful to all of

those who provided evidence to the inquiry, and for the way organisations have cooperated with the inquiries' work. the terms of reference for part one required me to establish the timeline of couzens's career. this includes investigating the circumstances of his vetting, transfer between police forces, and his behaviour towards women. the timeline, together with the rest of the report, has been deliberately drafted to avoid victims of his crimes being identified. i have also chosen not to name individual officers relevant to name individual officers relevant to his career, other than the very senior leaders who gave evidence to the inquiry. i did this because i wanted to encourage open and frank testimony from those that gave very sensitive evidence. i have not named individuals who could be criticised for their action or inaction. it is not part of my role to comment on the specific individuals, but i note that, where relevant, there have

already been separate misconduct proceedings. myjob was to identify the systemic failings or problems that led to him being able to commit his horrific crimes as an off duty police officer. sarah was murdered by an off duty police officer and that shocked the nation, triggering a pseudo— discourse about women's safety and public spaces and started a tidal wave of reporting on police misconduct. particularly where officers must use their powers to commit sexual offences. what is already clear is how much damage couzens has done to the social contract on which policing is based, and how significant improvements are required. the evidence seen by the inquiry has shown that failures in recruitment and vetting meant that couzens was able to continue a policing career which should have been denied to him. failures and investigations into allegations of indecent exposure meant opportunities to discuss his

offending and bring his policing career to a halt were missed. it was clear that couzens carefully manage the impression he gave people himself. this included the way he manipulated information on application forms and his troubled finances. it also included the way he shed his callous views towards women, tojust he shed his callous views towards women, to just a small he shed his callous views towards women, tojust a small group of like—minded people on a social media group. the eight allowed him to target vulnerable women while operating in plain sight, as a apparently unremarkable officer. the fact remains that s3 separate police forces allowed hi m forces allowed him the privilege of being a police officer when they could and should have stopped him. wayne couzens is a predatory six offender and murderer. wayne couzens is a predatory six offenderand murderer. evidence wayne couzens is a predatory six offender and murderer. evidence of his alleged offending, his preference for extreme and violent pornography and his unmanaged debts date back nearly 20 years prior to

sarah's murder. the report explores this in detail, but i will draw your attention to some of the major red flags and missed opportunities to halt wayne couzens' career and bring him to justice. halt wayne couzens' career and bring him tojustice. the inquiry has seen evidence that he allegedly committed a very serious sexual assault against a child barely in her teens, before his policing career even started. problems with money also predated his career with the police. couzens had substantial unsecured debt by the time he was arrested for sarah's murder. at the same time, the metropolitan police service were taking action to recover up to £15,000 that had been paid to him in error, and a year—long mortgage holiday was about to expire that month. these pressures undoubtedly affected his ability to serve as an authorised firearms officer at that time. i have seen evidence of

couzens's diverse and deviant sexual interests and understand these to be potential drivers for his offending. it is alleged on a number of occasions couzens tried to show friends and colleagues pornography, including some of a violent and extreme nature. it is further alleged that on at least two occasions, he shared unsolicited photographs of his penis to a woman are, and he paid online retailers to mask debate into clothes and send them to him. he has been in risk of further crimes of indecent exposure, one of which he had been linked to as a serving police officer. some further allegations were charged, but remain on file. he is also alleged to have possessed indecent images of children, but he has not been convicted of this. the report shows how police recruitment and vetting failed to spot red flags

about his unsuitability. red flags were repeatedly ignored, meaning he was granted the privilege of serving with three separate police forces, including as an authorised firearms officer, despite, for example, his history of excessive spending and personal debt. vetting processes also missed other information, including linking him to an incident of indecent exposure. couzens failed at interview in his application for kent police in 2004. hejoined kent special constabulary as a volunteer constable in 2006. wearing the same uniform, carrying the same kit, and enjoying the same powers, including the power of arrest, as a regular police officer. he was able to secure promotion to the grade of section officer, a position of authority comparable to sergeant in the regular force. authority comparable to sergeant in the regularforce. in a

authority comparable to sergeant in the regular force. in a further application tojoin the the regular force. in a further application to join the regular kent police force in 2008, couzens failed to gain vetting clearance. despite that vetting failure, he was retained as a volunteer officer. when he applied to join the civil nuclear constabulary, couzens's financial position was not given proper consideration. according to the 2011 vetting guidance, he should have been refused vetting because he had an individual voluntary arrangement, which is for those with debt, wishing to avoid bankruptcy. thames valley police, to whom his vetting was outsourced, recommended that couzens should not pass force vetting. this recommendation was not followed. the cnc gave inadequate weight to his financial history during the vetting process. in 2013, when he was serving as an authorised

firearms officer with the cnc, there was an episode where he was reported missing from home. the cnc were not informed of the report, thereby being denied an opportunity to explore or revisit his suitability for the office of constable. i make a recommendation to address this. the initial vetting, when he applied tojoin the the initial vetting, when he applied to join the metropolitan police service in 2018 was also flawed. the metropolitan police service did not take into account all of the information that was available to them. the outcome of the police national database to check on couzens was recorded as no trace, when in fact there were relevant entries. these consisted of a reference to couzens being reported missing from home in 2013, and his car being linked to an allegation of indecent exposure in 2015. a check with the police national database

was then not included in mark warmer�*s risk assessment, when he applied to be an authorised firearms officer with the metropolitan police service in 2019. had it been, his association with the allegation of indecent exposure in 2015 in kent would have been revealed, providing a further opportunity to affect his application. the opportunity for the met to refuse him clearance on the basis that his name was connected to an allegation of indecent exposure in 2015 was missed yet again. repeated failures in vetting meant thatis repeated failures in vetting meant that is won i could enjoy the powers and privileges that accompany the role of police officer. he went on to use his knowledge of police powers to falsely arrest sarah everard. even after couzens's arrest and a review of his vetting clearance, the metropolitan police service told the inquiry in 2022

that they would still have recruited him if provided with the same information. ifind this astonishing. i make a number of recommendations to improve recruitment and vetting, covering everything from in—person interviews and home visits for new recruits to improvements for information sharing around transfers. in addition to the shortcomings in vetting and recruitment, the report shows clearly how police investigations of indecent exposure were poor. those offences were treated as low—level by the investigating officers. decisions to close and cases were taken early with minimal investigation. i am calling for a step change in the way that police respond to indecent exposure cases. more understanding is needed for the between this offence and trajectory

too serious, contact offending. even without that trajectory, victims deserve to have cases investigated properly each and every time. attitudes of experience of those making allegations of indecent exposure would not commensurate with the harm caused. in 2015, a member of the public telephone kent police having just seen a man driving a car while indecently exposing himself. the witness gave the police the make, model, colourand registration number of the car, information that was confirmed by automatic number plate recognition cameras operating in the area. in almost no time, checks by the police identified couzens as the registered keeper of the car. however, despite having his home address and knowing he was the only male insured to drive the car, kent police closed the case and took no further action. they did so without making any attempt to speak

to the witness or to couzens himself. this was a grave error and a very obvious red flag. by failing to properly investigate the allegation, kent police missed a valuable opportunity to disrupt or even prevent couzens future offending and to bring into question his position as an authorised firearms officer with the cnc. victims reported allegations of indecent exposure to the police on four occasions before his arrest. the two allegations reported to kent were inadequately investigated. in addition to the 2015 allegation, kent police also responded to an allegation of indecent exposure directed at a lone cyclist in a narrow country lane in 2020. with limited investigation, the case was closed. had the investigation be more thorough, it is possible that

couzens might have been identified as an alleged sex offender and his offending and police career disrupted. just days before he had drifted sarah everard, couzens was reported for exposing himself at a drive—through. the investigation into these allegations by the metropolitan police service also fell below the standards any victim of crime should expect. for example, available evidence such as cctv was not collected or considered. he was only interviewed and charged for those further offences of indecent exposure after his conviction for sarah's murder. he was convicted for too much of the reported crimes of the drive through and the crime when he was reported for exposing himself to a lone cyclist on a country lane. the inquiry is aware of five other alleged incidents involving couzens, which, for many understandable reasons, whenever reported to the

police. given the known underreporting of sexual offences, i believe there may be even more victims of his offending. data tells us that women do not always reported being victims of indecent exposure, evidence to the inquiry shows that policing does not always respond to it as it should. i make recommendations about improving the way that police respond to those that report such crimes. i also recommend an immediate review be taken of indecent exposure allegations against serving police officers. my task in part one of the inquiry was to examine the facts and circumstances of the case of wayne couzens and the cultures in which he worked. policing is not an homogenous whole. pockets of different cultures exist within police forces and police culture will be examined during part two much of the inquiry. good police officers work alongside those who

abuse their powers. who behave inappropriately with their colleagues and do a disservice to the professional policing. some, like couzens, manipulated their image at work to avoid drawing attention to themselves. 0utside image at work to avoid drawing attention to themselves. outside of work, couzens was reported in 2020 to have been seen wearing a police belt and items of police equipment while off duty. he described himself as an undercover officer. he was not. although wayne couzens was not wholly a product of his working environments, those environments did nothing to discourage his misogynistic view of women and meant that providing he presented himself as professional, his deviant behaviour outside of work could flourish. policing leaders need to radically transform their approach to police culture if future offenders like couzens are to be denied opportunities to abuse police powers for sexual purpose. it is

time certain types of behaviour, from the unacceptable to the criminal, and low standards are simply not tolerated in policing. this report is part one of the angiolini inquiry. 0urtwo was this report is part one of the angiolini inquiry. our two was under way on the terms of reference for the work includes a broader national consideration of police vetting and recruitment, police culture and standards, and protection of women in public spaces. this includes other tragic cases of genocide in public spaces. —— femicide. my approach to party marker was informed by what i learned in part one. it is an investigation into crimes and career of david carrick, former metropolitan police officer. that work also under way. the 16 recommendations that i make are not all new. failures of investigation,

failures of hr processes and failures of hr processes and failures of hr processes and failures of vetting policy and practice are a depressingly familiar refrain in policing. now is the time for change. without a significant overhaul, there is nothing to stop another wayne couzens operating in plain sight. i would urge all those in authority in every police force in authority in every police force in the country to read this report and take immediate action. sarah's parents and loved ones live in a perpetual grief and pain of having lost sarah in this way. her death and the public discourse it caused, she galvanised those responsible for policing to ensure that those who have the power and privilege of protecting us be trusted. you have been listening to dame elish angiolini, the lawyer who has

been leading the independent report into the murder of sarah everard. she talked about wayne couzens. she said he should never have been a police officer, and opportunities to stop him continuing his career and his offending were missed. she said red flags were repeatedly ignored during vetting and when wayne couzens, who is serving a whole life sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of 33—year—old sarah everard, she said without a significant overhaul there is nothing to stop another wayne couzens operating in plain sight, and she went on to say that now is the time for change. she talked about the problems with vetting. that spring in sam harrison, who has been following this. give as an idea of the reaction to the report. a, this. give as an idea of the reaction to the report. a truly damnin: reaction to the report. a truly damning press— reaction to the report. a truly damning press conference - reaction to the report. a truly l damning press conference from reaction to the report. a truly - damning press conference from elish angiolini, not holding back in her criticism of the police. there is nothing to stop another wayne couzens operating in plain sight,

thatis couzens operating in plain sight, that is how she ended a press conference today. a chilling note to end on. this first report that has been published today, 347 pages long, highlights a number of different changes that can be implemented. it highlights how three separate forces could and should have stopped wayne couzens from being a police officer in the first place. this dates back years. first doubled to 2004, when wayne first tried to join the kent police force. there, he saw his initial application failed. despite this, in 2006 he was able to become a volunteer constable. later on with kent police, he also failed a further vetting clearance and was still retained as an officer. red flags were being waived early on. as pointed out in the press conference. in 2011, another police organisation failed to spot some more of those

red flags. this time, the civil nuclear constabulary. they ignored a vetting process which revealed that wayne couzens had significant financial problems, including death. you heard elish angiolini refer to that in her press conference. another failing, that in her press conference. anotherfailing, according to her report, because he was still able to become a member of the force. but it was a third force where problems became particularly serious. in 2015, wayne couzens was linked to an allegation of indecent exposure, an allegation of indecent exposure, an allegation which this report says walls not investigated adequately. despite this allegation, wayne couzens was still able to become a serving officer at the met police. elish angiolini said they did not consider all of the information in front of them with regards to the allegation of indecent exposure, a damning verdict from this report. 0utside damning verdict from this report. outside of the three forces making

the recruitment errors, the report highlighted a number of other red flags in what has been a really damning day. flags in what has been a really damning day-— flags in what has been a really damnin: da . ., . ~' damning day. sam harrison, thank you ve much. damning day. sam harrison, thank you very much- let's _ damning day. sam harrison, thank you very much. let's speak— damning day. sam harrison, thank you very much. let's speak with _ damning day. sam harrison, thank you very much. let's speak with the - very much. let's speak with the co—founder of the group reclaim the streets, formed in the wake of sarah everard's death. can you give your reaction to the report? alien; reaction to the report? very unsetting. _ reaction to the report? very unsetting. but _ reaction to the report? very upsetting, but i _ reaction to the report? very upsetting, but i believe - reaction to the report? very upsetting, but i believe it i reaction to the report? - upsetting, but i believe it should have been statutory, so it would force anybody they wanted to testify to testify. she has not named some of the officers she is critical of because she wanted to encourage people to testify. i don't think anybody should have had the option to not testify. we need to know the ins and outs of it, and we also needed a wider statutory inquiry about how all women are treated by the police. it does not prevent the next one. hearing claims that he sexually assaulted a child before becoming a police officer, that is oddly reminiscent of the police

officer that was convicted last week officer that was convicted last week of being a child rapist and then becoming a met officer. i'm not scared there is one more wayne couzens in the metropolitan police, i am scared there are many of them, and that we look at him like he is a bad apple, or he is an anomaly, he is an extremist, and he is an outlier, but the misogyny, racism and homophobia in the force is allowing these people to succeed and we are arming them, which is terrifying. we are arming them, which is terrifying-— we are arming them, which is terri inc. ., , ., ., ., , terrifying. lots of recommendations, 16 recommendations _ terrifying. lots of recommendations, 16 recommendations in _ terrifying. lots of recommendations, 16 recommendations in the _ terrifying. lots of recommendations, 16 recommendations in the report. . 16 recommendations in the report. how confident are you that these will be properly acted on? i how confident are you that these will be properly acted on?- how confident are you that these will be properly acted on? i wish i was more confident, _ will be properly acted on? i wish i was more confident, i _ will be properly acted on? i wish i was more confident, i wish - will be properly acted on? i wish i was more confident, i wish that i will be properly acted on? i wish i i was more confident, i wish that the review had been taken more seriously. that was boiled downjust to the world institutional and denied. the work has been done for the last three years but we have not had any actual change. the metropolitan police has not taken indecent exposure any more seriously than they did when this supposedly watershed murder of sarah everard happen. i don't feel any safer than i did three years ago. i feel worse

about it, because we have uncovered how much is going on behind—the—scenes that we didn't know about previously. if anything, i would be less likely to report a sexual assault of the metropolitan police than i would have been three years ago. in police than i would have been three ears auo. ., , , years ago. in the last few minutes we had reaction _ years ago. in the last few minutes we had reaction from _ years ago. in the last few minutes we had reaction from sir - years ago. in the last few minutes we had reaction from sir mark- we had reaction from sir mark rowley, the commissioner. he has talked about, regardless of our significant progress over the past year, the scale of the change needed inevitably means it will take time and it is not yet complete. he talks about the determination to reform the met police. what would you say would be the priority, if you were talking to them directly? i would be the priority, if you were talking to them directly?- talking to them directly? i would sa that it talking to them directly? i would say that it is _ talking to them directly? i would say that it is too _ talking to them directly? i would say that it is too little _ talking to them directly? i would say that it is too little and - talking to them directly? i would say that it is too little and too i say that it is too little and too late, and he hired back a racist officer last thursday. i do not believe that he, who used to be the head of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection unit, is overseeing any real, meaningful reform. i believe he is telling people to hide the whatsapp groups and they are being more careful, but the sting that is supposed to go on

to rid the force of sexual deviance and people that use their powerful sexual gain, that has not worked. we are being told that women that are calling that our victims are being fobbed off with little technicalities, and nothing is being done to actually make us safer. i actually felt more confident with cressida dick, because she admitted she would not have changed what she was doing. i think that mark rowley is telling is one thing and saying the exact opposite to his officers, and just covering it up better. just briefl , on and just covering it up better. just briefly, on the business of people reporting crimes, she talked about how women are reluctant to come forward. do you think that is still the case? ' :: :: ' forward. do you think that is still the case? ' :: ::f ., forward. do you think that is still the case? ' :: :: ' ., ., forward. do you think that is still thecase?::f ., .,, , the case? 100%. yougov did a study that said the case? 10096. yougov did a study that said 7596 _ the case? 10096. yougov did a study that said 7596 of — the case? 10096. yougov did a study that said 7596 of women _ the case? 10096. yougov did a study that said 7596 of women in _ the case? 10096. yougov did a study that said 7596 of women in london i that said 75% of women in london don't trust the police, and the real human cost of that is the night that zara aleena was attacked, five more people called the police. women's trust is lower than it has ever

been. this report, the report about with cliff mitchell being hired just after wayne couzens, in spite of being a suspect in a child rape, they have not even made changes to administration things like domestic protection orders.— protection orders. sorry, we have run out of — protection orders. sorry, we have run out of time, _ protection orders. sorry, we have run out of time, but _ protection orders. sorry, we have run out of time, but thank - protection orders. sorry, we have run out of time, but thank you . protection orders. sorry, we have i run out of time, but thank you very much indeed for your contribution. there is plenty more coverage of this story on the website and the app. stay with us on bbc news and you can catch up any time on the website. live from london. this is bbc news. the number of people killed in the war in gaza passes 30,000, according to the hamas—run health ministry. medics to the hamas—run health ministry. say dozens are blast medics say dozens are killed in a blast near hospital. an inquiry into the death of sarah everard has found that her killer wayne couzens should never have been a police officer

and opportunities to stop him continuing his career and offending were missed. vladimir putin's warning to the west, moving nato troops into ukraine risks a nuclear war. translation: they need to finally understand - that we, too, have weapons. and they know that. i have just mentioned we too have weapons that can strike targets on their territory. the hamas—run health ministry in gaza has announced that more than 30,000 palestinians have been killed in the territory since israel began its military offensive in october. that number equates to about 1.3% of the 2.3 million population. in the latest violence dozens of palestinians are reported to have been killed while waiting for food aid at a roundabout in gaza city as israel continues its offensive against hamas.

the israeli army says