More than 12 Met cops currently being investigated for conduct over the Wayne Couzens investigation and conviction

A police watchdog is conducting investigations into more than 12 police officers sparked by PC Wayne Couzens’s abducting, rape and murder Sarah Everard.

But the Independent Office of Police Conduct says it cannot reveal details of how those are progressing.

Instead, it has given an updated on cases of cops sharing information about the Couzens case. Firearms officer Couzens has been sentenced to life in prison for killing Sarah.

The IOPC said in a statement: “Following sentencing we will look to bring [our investigation over the Couzens case] to a conclusion as swiftly as possible. We are, however, able to provide information about others, including those that are either concluded or nearing completion.”

Those investigations are:

 

• that a probationary MPS police constable shared an inappropriate graphic, depicting violence against women, with colleagues via Whatsapp.

 

The IOPC found the graphic was intended to be in reference to the kidnap and murder of Ms Everard by a serving officer. The officer was off duty but later staffed a cordon as part of the search for Ms Everard. The officer was investigated for gross misconduct for potentially breaching police standards of professional behaviour for authority, respect, courtesy and conduct. Two other probationary constables were investigated for gross misconduct on the basis that they had allegedly shared the graphic and failed to challenge it.

The IOPC report and conclusions were passed to the Met last month (August) and a decision will later be taken on what action should result.

 

• five officers from three forces and one former officer allegedly sent discriminatory messages as part of a Whatsapp group between March and October 2019.

 

The mobile phone messages were discovered during the police investigation into Ms Everard’s murder.

Three of the serving officers are with the Met, one from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) and one from Norfolk Constabulary. The former officer was previously with the Met.

They are being investigated for gross misconduct for allegedly sending messages of a discriminatory and/or inappropriate nature, and for allegedly failing to challenge the messages sent by the others.

Two of the Met officers and the former Met officer are being criminally investigated for improper use of the public electronic communications network under Section 127 of the Communications Act.

 

• that officers from several forces breached standards of professional behaviour when they used a messaging app to share about the prosecution of Couzens.

 

One officer was investigated for gross misconduct for sharing an interview given by Couzens under caution, for no policing purpose. A further six officers were served with misconduct notices as there was an indication that they failed to challenge it – and two of them also joined in the conversation.

The IOPC told the Met its findings last month (August) and further action will be announced later.

 

• of how Couzens sustained head injuries in custody on 10 and 12 March after his arrest

 

The IOPC found the injuries were self-inflicted and correct procedures were followed.

The investigations into police officers’ conduct more directly linked the Couzens are:  

• Kent Police is now being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over whether it handled the allegations of an indecent exposure in 2015 properly.

The IOPC is also examining allegations the Met Police did not investigate adequately another claim that Couzens had exposed himself.

That alleged incident happened in South London only days before the killing.

Two officers are under investigation for possible breaches of professional standards in relation to the alleged flashing offence in London, said to have happened in a fast-food restaurant.

• In total, the IOPC said 12 gross misconduct or misconduct notices had so far been served on cops from several forces relating to the Couzens case.

Couzens joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) in March 2011, leaving to work for the Met in September 2018.

He was initially based in Bromley in south-east London then moved to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, where his primary role was uniformed patrols, mainly at a range of embassies in the central London.

The CNC said Couzens served for eight months at Sellafield in Cumbria before transferring to Dungeness, Kent, where he was based for the rest of his service.

Before joining the CNC, he was with Kent Police.

The CNC said Couzens underwent an “enhanced level of vetting” and had no records of complaints or misconduct made against him.