Officer missed probability to research Wayne Couzens earlier than homicide, listening to informed
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former Metropolitan Police officer allegedly missed a chance to correctly examine Wayne Couzens over two incidents of flashing simply hours earlier than he kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard.
Former police constable Samantha Lee is claimed to have did not make “the correct investigative inquiries” over two incidents when Couzens uncovered himself to feminine members of employees at a quick meals restaurant in Swanley, Kent, on February 14 and 27, a police disciplinary listening to was informed.
Ms Lee attended the restaurant on March 3, interviewing the department’s supervisor hours earlier than Ms Everard was kidnapped by Couzens in Clapham, south west London.
She can be stated to have lied about her actions when questioned, claiming that she believed that the CCTV on the restaurant deleted routinely, the listening to heard on Monday.
According to a press release given by the restaurant supervisor, on each events Couzens was seen by feminine members of employees to have his pants open and his penis on show.
The assertion stated: “On both occasions the customer was sitting in his car with his trousers fully down and his penis out on display.”
Opening the case on behalf of the Met Police on Monday, Paul Ozin KC informed the listening to that after the supervisor reported the incidents to the Met Police on February 28, the matter was triaged and recorded as “less urgent” than different issues the drive should take care of.
Mr Ozin stated that a pc examine was executed after the supervisor made the decision, and the examine confirmed that the black Seat Exeo had been registered to Wayne Couzens since January 2018.
He added: “There is no standard check that takes place to see whether a suspect in criminal police cases are police officers.”
Ms Lee attended the restaurant on the afternoon of March 3.
It was her final appointment of the day.
Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens (Met Police/PA)
/ PA Wire“We suggest that the work carried out was a rushed job,” Mr Ozin stated.
Mr Ozin stated that the supervisor claims to have defined to Ms Lee that whereas the restaurant CCTV deletes routinely, different CCTV footage confirmed Couzens’ automotive.
He claimed that he confirmed her the opposite CCTV. He additionally confirmed her receipts which recorded the final 4 digits of Couzens’ card on each events, in addition to witness statements taken from two members of employees.
He informed the listening to that Ms Lee’s case is that she spoke to the supervisor when she attended the restaurant, however he didn’t present her any CCTV footage of the incident.
“Pc Lee said that he showed her the CCTV system and how it worked, but did not show her any footage or anything about the incident,” he stated.
He stated that she accepted that she did certainly take possession of receipts and witness statements from the supervisor.
In a report made after attending the restaurant, Ms Lee beneficial that Couzens be arrested and questioned.
Mr Ozin stated that Ms Lee claims that she believed that the report can be allotted to a distinct workforce to observe up on.
However, Mr Ozin stated that she didn’t put the witness statements and the receipts in a sealed proof bag, as a substitute preserving them in a pocket in her physique armour.
Mr Ozin stated: “One of the central issues of this case is whether there has been some horrible misunderstanding.”
He stated that Ms Lee’s behaviour “suggests that she was more intent in getting away quickly than in performing her duties properly”.
He added: “It is supportive of the unpalatable conclusion that that Pc Lee just did not bother to get the CCTV, even though she knew it was important, instead relying on others to do that instead of her.
“And that she later lied to others when she knew that the stakes had escalated astronomically.”
In March of this yr, Couzens was sentenced to 19 months in jail after admitting three counts of indecent publicity.
He was already serving life behind bars for kidnapping Ms Everard as she walked house by Clapham, south London, on March 3 2021 after which murdering her.
The third indecent publicity incident pertains to when Couzens uncovered himself to a feminine bike owner on a Kent nation lane in November 2020.
Ms Lee is claimed to have breached drive’s requirements on duties and duties in addition to honesty and integrity.
If she is discovered to have dedicated gross misconduct, she may very well be banned from serving within the drive once more.
She denies each allegations.
The misconduct listening to at Palestra House in Southwark is anticipated to final seven days.