Sarah Everard: Met police officer Wayne Couzens charged with murder of missing woman

Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has been charged with the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard who disappeared as she walked home in south London last week.

33 year-old Sarah Everard who studied at Durham University (Photo: Metropolitan Police).

Rosemary Ainslie, head of special crime at the CPS, said: "Following a referral of evidence by the Metropolitan Police related to the death of Sarah Everard, the CPS has authorised the police to charge Wayne Couzens with murder and kidnapping.

"He will appear at Westminster magistrates' court tomorrow (13 March) for his first hearing.

"The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges to a court to consider.

"Criminal proceedings are now active and nothing should be published that could jeopardise the defendant's right to a fair trial."

Sarah, 33, went missing after she was walking home from a friend’s on March 3.

Human remains have now been identified as hers.

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