UK UK - Sarah Everard, 33, London - Clapham Common area, 3 March 2021 *Arrests* #6

[MancGuy Uk]

Someone on Reddit has offered another theory about why SE might've willingly got into WC's car without much concern: if he's been in uniform and has told her that there's been an incident locally and suspect is still 'on the loose', and he will drop her home so that she isn't in danger.

I think in that scenario, I would have got into his car. It's chilling to think about.

was he wearing a uniform? and would you not find it a little bit strange there was not another officer with him and he was not using a police car?

 

[ad1710]

How "complex" can a single crime scene be though? There has been countless murders where the body has been basically unidentifiable in recent years but not one of those has recieved the amount of investigation teams that currently seem to be on that land. I cant even recall recent british serial killers like having this many feet on the ground for an investigation, please someone correct me if i am wrong.

 

[cynar]

Been reading here for a few hours.

First, the phone mugging scenario is too complex. The fact the phone went dead at exactly the time she disappeared can only mean he took it & switched it off/broke it or forced her to turn it off. Since it was fairly immediate, his intentions were absolutely dire from the start. I mean, it wasn't a situation where he at first thought this would be a minor encounter.

The separate indecent exposure count adds to the possibility that he was cruising around looking for women to expose himself to from within his car (guy masturbating in car) & he panicked because it seemed she was taking his picture or about to call someone, and it was a massive, self-protective escalation from there.

In terms of the timing vis a vis his shift ending at 8 (followed by changing out of uniform, clocking out stuff), I read I believe on this thread that there's a very popular snack stand in Clapham Common that cops and EMTs frequent (Honest Tom's Snack Stand). Maybe he went there to get some dinner and unwind and also do a little exposing himself in the vicinity. Maybe he saw her walking through the Commons & decided to intercept her a few minutes later.

The debate about how rare stranger abduction is, statistically, reminds me of, after major plane crashes, people will spam each other with statistics about how rare it is to die in a plane crash and "you have a higher chance of dyng in an auto accident on your way to the airport." Yet a bunch of people *did* just die in a plane crash. And the reason it's so terrifying is not because it's *common* but because it's random and entirely out of your control.

 

[Angleterre]

It will be interesting to see if this pans out like the Pawel Relowicz trials. He's the guy who murdered Libby Squire, but upon arresting him and running his DNA through the database it transpired he was responsible for many, many more crimes pre Libby. She was his first murder, but he got a kick out of perving and scaring local women for months in the run up to that fateful night.

I believe there will be much more to come out about Wayne Couzens - I really doubt this is his very first foray into crime.

Police officers DNA is already in the database from when they are sworn in ( attestation ) as a Police officer so that each individual crime scene they attend , if DNA is an issue, they will be screened out so that evidence and the integrity and continuity of such, can be maintained. For example, if you have a murder scene , as a matter of routine, DNA and Footprints are routinely obtained from the like of Paramedics etc , again so that the offenders DNA can be isolated without having the DNA of the attending officers and EMT’s etc having to be run through and it be an unknown sample, if you know what I mean?

 

[slootherina94]

Hi everyone, I’m a new poster here although I’ve been reading for a while.

I don’t have anything to add in terms of sleuthing, only some more general thoughts. Firstly, like so many others, I am struck by the wisdom, respect and care shown by posters here. I’ve followed this case for a few days now and was so hoping for a different outcome. I’m so sorry for Sarah, for her loved ones, for WC’s poor children.

I am a 27 year old woman, living on the outskirts of a big city in the UK. My university / career path isn’t a million miles from Sarah’s so - although I can’t claim to know much about her at all - I can put myself in her shoes to a certain extent. When I first became aware of Sarah’s story last week, I was under the impression that she might have walked through Clapham Common alone in the dark, and I initially assumed that to mean she was walking through a dark park (not a lit road). I am not proud to admit this, but my instinctive reaction was “that sounds so dangerous! why did she do that?”. It turned out that my understanding of the facts was incorrect, but that’s not what’s most important. The issue is that I am so accustomed to feeling scared when alone after dark, that I found myself feeding into the very victim blaming narrative that I hate so much.

I believe in my heart, passionately, that women - anyone - should be able to go about normal, daily activities safely and feel protected from harm. But the fact of the matter is (and I’m assuming this was a random attack, in that WC and Sarah did not know each other) these disgusting people continue to walk the streets, waiting for their opportunity. Scariest of all, they often have normal jobs, normal families, normal homes, and it is impossible to determine a benign stranger from a severe threat until it’s too late. The onus should not be on women to act with such fear, but in the society we live in we’re left with no choice but to protect ourselves at every moment. And Sarah did exactly that. She was careful, she stuck to a well lit area, she called her boyfriend - and the worst still happened. I’m not suggesting that her disappearance would somehow be less tragic had she not been doing those things, but my point is she was doing everything we’re told is our “responsibility” to keep ourselves safe.

So what on earth can we do?! Call somebody on your walk home - but don’t wear headphones, you won’t be as alert. Wear bright colours so you can be seen, but don’t wear anything that will draw too much attention to yourself. Get a taxi, don’t walk by yourself, but be careful, don’t trust the taxi driver. Respect police, find someone you can trust - oh, wait.

I’m so angry for Sarah, and for every other woman who has been harmed in any way, while simply trying to get home. I don’t have any answers, and I apologise that this has turned into a bit of a rant. But Sarah deserved infinitely better than this, and I’m so sorry.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

I honestly can’t believe she’d get in a car voluntarily with a bulky male at night who isn’t in a police car when she hasn’t committed a crime. Neither would she get in a car to do a good deed. We are taught this from being children. This is just my opinion based on being similar to Sarah in age, education, etc.

I agree, I am a few years older but otherwise similar and I don’t think someone saying they’re a police officer or showing a warrant card quite carries much authority to a single woman on her own at night. Things would go through your head other than just worried about being taken in for questioning.

They used to tell lost children to go to a police officer... now they tell them to find a woman, any woman if they can, but one who has children with her is best. That’s partly a reflection of fewer bobbies on the beat, but also because you just can’t be sure whether any given man has got it into his head to pose as a police officer, or, now, I will start to think, is the very unfortunate overlap between officer & offender (yes I know women can commit crimes too, but rarely violent offences against other women and children).

I really think the “maybe he said I’m a policeman, are you breaking lockdown? Come with me...” stuff is 100% theory and speculation because of his job, and has no basis on any evidence at present.

 

[Chambo1994]

I wonder if they will wait until they have identified the remains to formally charge him?

I think the concern with that would be timing, he’s been in 48 hours now, meaning they only have another 48 hours left. (I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong haha)

So if the body is heavily damaged and it’s going to take time to identify and then gather evidence, they may need to charge him with a “lesser” charge to keep him inside while they continue to investigate

 

[Columboshound]

I think in this case you need to think of the current situation with regards to the pandemic...

We’re in a national lockdown so if a badged police officer was to approach you on that basis I don’t think you’d be shocked by it, whereas without the pandemic you may think you hadn’t done anything wrong.

I believe myself to be quite savvy with the police, but if I go out for a walk tonight and an officer we’re to question me based on being out during a lockdown then I’d be compliant with it

JMO

Agree but it would be a discussion with an officer which would take time and people may notice. I certainly wouldn’t get into his car on that basis especially if it’s unmarked. And I would call or text family/boyfriend. This is what I would do and obviously may not be what Sarah would have done it’s JMO, I’m just trying to see it from a perspective that makes sense to me but obviously like you say we are not all the same. Just makes more sense to me that he attacked her without warning but obviously we don’t know. JMO

 

[Otto Nix]

I've been thinking about how the children must have been at home over the whole course of events. It's totally surreal. Would they have been interviewed by LE by now?

 

[Angleterre]

How "complex" can a single crime scene be though? There has been countless murders where the body has been basically unidentifiable in recent years but not one of those has recieved the amount of investigation teams that currently seem to be on that land. I cant even recall recent british serial killers like having this many feet on the ground for an investigation, please someone correct me if i am wrong.

It’s far more complex because he could essentially, at trial, have a get out of jail card by saying that he has been in that given location as a result of being sent there on a routine enquiry, allocated a job at that location, gone to the location voluntarily to check something out in the course of his enquiries into another matter and for these reasons alone, his DNA may be present. So it’s not as straightforward as a member of the public being the arrested person.

 

[Creamcheese]

How "complex" can a single crime scene be though? There has been countless murders where the body has been basically unidentifiable in recent years but not one of those has recieved the amount of investigation teams that currently seem to be on that land. I cant even recall recent british serial killers like having this many feet on the ground for an investigation, please someone correct me if i am wrong.

I agree although I am not an expert by any means

This is getting so much media and political interest so wonder if that’s a reason for the additional resource as well

 

[ad1710]

Did anyone else think Cressida Dicks announcement suggested there may be a lot more to this? She seemed to be holding something back as if this is bigger than people realise, of course she knows a lot more than anyone about what is going on but she had the vibe of this being bigger than just a singular murder, the way she described "what seems to be human remains" also implies that this could be plural, is there a collection of remains and this is why it cant be identified currently due to a collection of different dna which will need to be slowly picked apart, hence the large investigation teams coming in for what looks like the long haul?

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

If he’s confessed, wouldn’t they have charged him by now?

Confessed? Why do you think that? If he had, he would have been charged by now. He knows the ropes, he will be following his brief and as has already been said, he'll be 'No Comment' in that interview room all the way, especially since they found remains.

 

[Arunda]

How "complex" can a single crime scene be though? There has been countless murders where the body has been basically unidentifiable in recent years but not one of those has recieved the amount of investigation teams that currently seem to be on that land. I cant even recall recent british serial killers like having this many feet on the ground for an investigation, please someone correct me if i am wrong.

I might be wrong, but I think the Met will have taken this one very personally. One of their own, a person who should uphold the law is believed to not just have broken the law, but broken it in one of the worst ways possible. It's not a minor crime that could see him fired and stripped of his pension. Plus, I'm sure they'll be doing everything they possibly can to get an absolutely water tight case. I'll bet most officers in the UK are sickened by this.

 

[jca111]

BBM

WOW!!!

I never knew this, but am so relieved to hear it. I've watched so much Homicide Hunter I swear in an emergency I'd be dialling 911

So does 112 - the European number.

 

[Joolz1975]

I think the concern with that would be timing, he’s been in 48 hours now, meaning they only have another 48 hours left. (I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong haha)

So if the body is heavily damaged and it’s going to take time to identify and then gather evidence, they may need to charge him with a “lesser” charge to keep him inside while they continue to investigate

Hopefully they will have some identification by then (fingers crossed). But yes maybe they will go with a lesser charge like they did with Pawel Relowicz in the meantime.

Still pretty sure once charged they cant continue to question though (someone might need to correct me on that) so maybe they will hold out as long as possible.

 

[supersleuth1974]

God the front left car has really creeped me out. Zoom in - quite a lot of movement from the driver and the towards the end of the clip, a lot of movement in the back right like someone is reaching or head is out of the window. Very eery

Very similar car for me, especially the lights in the bumper.....IMHO

 

[yardyyardy]

How "complex" can a single crime scene be though? There has been countless murders where the body has been basically unidentifiable in recent years but not one of those has recieved the amount of investigation teams that currently seem to be on that land. I cant even recall recent british serial killers like having this many feet on the ground for an investigation, please someone correct me if i am wrong.

Can’t think of one with a police officer as the POI so that’s pretty much the definition of complex!

 

[Otto Nix]

It’s far more complex because he could essentially, at trial, have a get out of jail card by saying that he has been in that given location as a result of being sent there on a routine enquiry, allocated a job at that location, gone to the location voluntarily to check something out in the course of his enquiries into another matter and for these reasons alone, his DNA may be present. So it’s not as straightforward as a member of the public being the arrested person.

Metropolitan armed policeman sent to guard a disused golf course in Ashford?

 

[swedeheart]

Hi everyone, I’m a new poster here although I’ve been reading for a while.

I don’t have anything to add in terms of sleuthing, only some more general thoughts. Firstly, like so many others, I am struck by the wisdom, respect and care shown by posters here. I’ve followed this case for a few days now and was so hoping for a different outcome. I’m so sorry for Sarah, for her loved ones, for WC’s poor children.

I am a 27 year old woman, living on the outskirts of a big city in the UK. My university / career path isn’t a million miles from Sarah’s so - although I can’t claim to know much about her at all - I can put myself in her shoes to a certain extent. When I first became aware of Sarah’s story last week, I was under the impression that she might have walked through Clapham Common alone in the dark, and I initially assumed that to mean she was walking through a dark park (not a lit road). I am not proud to admit this, but my instinctive reaction was “that sounds so dangerous! why did she do that?”. It turned out that my understanding of the facts was incorrect, but that’s not what’s most important. The issue is that I am so accustomed to feeling scared when alone after dark, that I found myself feeding into the very victim blaming narrative that I hate so much.

I believe in my heart, passionately, that women - anyone - should be able to go about normal, daily activities safely and feel protected from harm. But the fact of the matter is (and I’m assuming this was a random attack, in that WC and Sarah did not know each other) these disgusting people continue to walk the streets, waiting for their opportunity. Scariest of all, they often have normal jobs, normal families, normal homes, and it is impossible to determine a benign stranger from a severe threat until it’s too late. The onus should not be on women to act with such fear, but in the society we live in we’re left with no choice but to protect ourselves at every moment. And Sarah did exactly that. She was careful, she stuck to a well lit area, she called her boyfriend - and the worst still happened. I’m not suggesting that her disappearance would somehow be less tragic had she not been doing those things, but my point is she was doing everything we’re told is our “responsibility” to keep ourselves safe.

So what on earth can we do?! Call somebody on your walk home - but don’t wear headphones, you won’t be as alert. Wear bright colours so you can be seen, but don’t wear anything that will draw too much attention to yourself. Get a taxi, don’t walk by yourself, but be careful, don’t trust the taxi driver. Respect police, find someone you can trust - oh, wait.

I’m so angry for Sarah, and for every other woman who has been harmed in any way, while simply trying to get home. I don’t have any answers, and I apologise that this has turned into a bit of a rant. But Sarah deserved infinitely better than this, and I’m so sorry.

Beautifully written rant.