Wayne Couzens Appeals Against Whole Life Sentence For Sarah Everard Murder
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After being sentenced last month to a whole life order for the murder of Sarah Everard, Wayne Couzens has launched an appeal.
In June, Couzens pleaded guilty to kidnap and rape, before admitting to murdering the 33-year-old marketing executive – who had to be formally identified through her dental records – the following month.
On September 30, after a two-day sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey, he was handed a whole life order.
However, despite his crimes being called ‘a grotesque series’ of events by Lord Justice Fulford, the former police officer has since decided to appeal the sentence.
On Tuesday, October 26, according to a court official, Couzens decided to launch an appeal against his sentence.
They told The Mirror they had been ‘notified that an appeal has been lodged by Mr Couzens’.
The Court of Appeal Criminal Division will hear the case if the appeal is granted.
Labour MP Jess Phillips has noted her ‘shock’ over the appeal.
She said:
I’m shocked by what appears as a continued inability of Couzens to understand the severity of his actions or the pain that such an appeal will cause to the Everard family.
His crimes have had had deep repercussions for our country and whilst nothing can undo that harm his sentence reflects that.
During Couzens’ sentencing, his crimes against Everard were described by prosecutor Tom Little QC in five words: ‘Deception, kidnap, rape, strangulation, fire’.
After the sentencing, Everard’s family released a statement on how ‘very pleased’ they were that the former police officer had received a full life sentence and would ‘spend the rest of his life in jail’.
‘Sarah lost her life needlessly and cruelly and all the years of life she had yet to enjoy were stolen from her. Wayne Couzens held a position of trust as a police officer and we are outraged and sickened that he abused this trust in order to lure Sarah to her death. The world is a safer place with him imprisoned’, they said.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 between 12pm–2.30pm and 7pm– 9.30pm every day. Alternatively, you can contact Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111 available 24/7, every day of the year, including Christmas
Male Survivors Partnership is available to support adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. You can contact the organisation on their website or on their free helpline 0808 800 5005, open 9am–5pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; 8am–8pm Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10am–2pm Saturdays
Topics: News, Appeal, Now, Sarah Everard, Wayne Couzens
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