Header Ads Widget

Wayne Couzens ‘to appeal against whole-life sentence’ for Sarah Everard murder

Wayne Couzens
The serving police officer pleaded guilty to kidnap, rape and murder (Picture: PA)

Wayne Couzens is reportedly set to appeal against his whole-life sentence for the murder of Sarah Everard.

The 48-year-old pleaded guilty to kidnap, rape and murder and was told he would die behind bars in September.

The sentences are reserved for the most heinous of murders.

Lord Justice Fulford said the fact Couzens ‘used his position as a police officer’ to abduct the 33-year-old was justification for imposing the order.

If permission is granted, the case would be heard by the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.

A court official confirmed to the Daily Mirror: ‘We have been notified that an appeal has been lodged by Mr Couzens.’

Only around 60 prisoners have been sentenced to whole-life orders in the UK, the most serious punishment available to judges.

Couzens joins infamous names like Levi Bellfield, Ian Brady and Jo Cox’s killer, Thomas Mair, on being imprisoned indefinitely.

PC Wayne Couzens. See SWNS story SWNNeverard. A police officer faces a life sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of Sarah Everard. Wayne Couzens, 48, today appeared at the Old Bailey where he entered a guilty plea to one count of murder. His lawyer said that he told them this morning that he 'deserves' to bear the burden for the rest of his life and he was sorry for what he did, not for himself.
Couzens used his warrant card and police-issue handcuffs to kidnap Sarah Everard (Picture: SWNS)

Because of his guilty plea, his sentence can’t be overturned but he may seek to have the whole-life tariff lifted, meaning he would be free to apply for parole one day.

The sentences are usually reserved for four types of cases: serial killers; child murderers; killers of police or prison officers; and, terrorists.

When sentencing Couzens, Lord Justice Fulford said this is not a ‘closed’ list and concluded abusing his position as a police officer was enough to warrant the harshest possible sentence.

He told the killer: ‘You have eroded the confidence that the public are entitled to have in the police forces of England and Wales.

‘It is critical that every subject in this country can trust police officers when they encounter them and submit to their authority, which they are entitled to believe is being exercised in good faith.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.



from News – Metro https://ift.tt/3mi7wYq

Post a Comment

0 Comments