Wayne Couzens, a former UK Police officer, was sentenced to 19 months in prison for flashing women in the months before he kidnapped, defiled, and murdered Sarah Everard.
The former Metropolitan Police officer, 50, is already serving a life sentence in prison for kidnapping, defiling, and murdering Ms. Everard, 33, in March 2021.
He was supposed to be on duty and working from home in November 2020 when he exposed himself to a female cyclist on a country lane in Kent.
He then exposed himself to two female waitresses at a drive-through fast food restaurant in Kent, the latest incident occurring just days before he kidnapped Everard, 33, in south London on March 3, 2021.
Couzens, formerly of Deal in Kent, pled guilty to three counts of indecent exposure, with three additional allegations on file.
The ladies revealed the impact of the incidents on them as the 50-year-old appeared in court on Monday to be punished.
The female rider claimed that his “selfish, violent behaviour” had taken away her “freedom” to enjoy country walks and cycling.
She said: “I remember vividly being concerned that somebody who could expose themselves to a stranger in such an intimidating way could go on to commit much more serious acts. This is what happened.”
She told Couzens: “Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman.
“There were opportunities to identify you and they were not taken. I did not feel that, when I reported your crime, it was taken as seriously as I felt that it should have been.
“The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life.”
Couzens, who appeared in court via video link from Frankland prison, said nothing as the statements were read aloud.
Lady Justice May sentenced Couzens to 19 months in prison in a televised sentencing.
While laying out the circumstances of the indecent exposure charges, prosecutor Tom Little KC stated that Couzens stood entirely na.ked in front of a female cyclist in Ringwould Road near Dover on November 13, 2020.
Couzens was on duty at the time and was supposed to be working from home in Deal, according to the court.
According to the prosecutor, the event occurred on an isolated, narrow rural highway heading inland between Deal and Dover.
That is only a few kilometers from where the defendant abducted Everard and transferred her from one car to another in Dover.
Couzens emerged from the woods and took a vantage point on a bank above the female cyclist as she cycled uphill towards him.
Little said the defendant was “totally naked” and masturbating as he looked at the woman.
He said: “She felt she had no choice but to continue cycling along that country lane. There were no words exchanged between them. She had a clear view of him and clearly remembered what he looked like.”
She cycled past a parked black automobile that appeared “ancient” and “a little battered” about 50 meters farther on, but she couldn’t recall the complete number plate.
The biker continued riding till she came across two women and told them what she had seen.
According to the court, one of them claimed to be a police officer and promised to keep an eye out.
When she reached a crossroads, the rider rang her husband and later reported the incident online to Kent police, providing a description claiming he was “middle-aged with a small paunch”.
Couzens had a black Seat automobile in terrible condition at the time, but the investigation was halted due to the lack of a matching number plate.
Following Couzens’ arrest for Everard’s disappearance, the rider recognized him from a photograph.
Little said: “As a result, she contacted the police again. She felt instant shock at seeing the picture and said she was 90% sure it was him who masturbated in front of her.
“Further inquiries have confirmed that the defendant was due to be working from home in Deal on 13 November 2020 between 8am and 4pm. It follows that he was on duty at the time of the offence but was not at home.”
Couzens was in his Seat in that country region at the time, according to traffic cams and cell site data.
Couzens was interviewed about the event on March 25, 2022, and said, “No comment,” the court heard.
Couzens then exposed his genitals to personnel at a drive-through fast food restaurant in Kent on two separate occasions, on 14 and 27 February 2021.
He sat in his car, looking them in the eyes as he displayed his erect penis while handing them his credit card to pay for meals.
The female staff affected were left “shaken, upset and angry”.
On the most recent occasion, personnel took a registration number and recognized the vehicle from CCTV as a black Seat registered to Couzens.
Payment was made with a credit card in his name, and ANPR and cell site data were utilized to trace the defendant’s automobile in the vicinity at the time of the occurrences.
