The shocking killing of the young woman triggered wide public discontent over women's safety in the United Kingdom, which was even reinforced after it was revealed that her murderer was previously known for “flashing” incidents on multiple occasions but was never charged or at least investigated by the authorities until recently.
Metropolitan Police is now facing severe criticism for employing Sarah Everard's murderer Matt Couzens, who pleaded guilty on Friday to randomly kidnapping, raping and killing the 33-year-old woman in March.
According to a report by The Sun, Couzens — a serving police officer and a married father of two — was nicknamed “The Rapist” by his ex-colleagues at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), where he worked prior to applying for the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit in 2020. The “flattering” nickname was reportedly given to Couzens — now a convicted rapist — because he “gave women the creeps”, as the UK newspaper put it.
The Met was reportedly in need of personnel when they decided to hire Couzens, following the Paris terror attacks in 2017 and heightened security risks. That could likely explain why he did not serve two years on probation and was not subject to enhanced vetting. If it did take place — he would have been almost certainly denied a position and the tragedy could have been avoided.
Pressure Mounting on Met Police as Women Don't Feel Safe
Following Everard's death and…
