- Seven Met officers face hearings for unauthorized file access
- Sarah Everard’s murder by Wayne Couzens led to intense scrutiny
- The officers’ actions could lead to dismissal for gross misconduct
Seven Metropolitan Police officers, including former Inspector Akinwale Ajose-Adeogun and former Trainee Detective Constable Hannah Rebbeck, are facing gross misconduct hearings for unauthorized access to files related to the disappearance and murder of Sarah Everard. The officers allegedly accessed these files without legitimate policing purposes, breaching confidentiality and discrediting the force.
Among the officers involved are Detective Sergeant Robert Butters, Police Sergeant Mark Harper, PC Myles McHugh, PC Clare Tett, and Detective Constable Tyrone Ward. The misconduct hearings are scheduled between October 28 and November 15.
Sarah Everard, 33, was kidnapped, raped, and murdered in March 2021 by Wayne Couzens, a serving officer at the time. Couzens used his police-issued warrant card to stage a fake arrest, which led to her tragic death. Following these events, the Metropolitan Police faced intense scrutiny, resulting in a review by Baroness Casey, which criticized the force’s culture, lack of accountability, and transparency.
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The officers involved in accessing files related to Everard’s case have not been charged with criminal offenses, and their images have not been released. However, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy acknowledged the impact of the situation on Everard’s family and confirmed that the case has undergone thorough investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards.
The alleged incidents occurred between March 5 and 15, 2021, shortly after Everard went missing. The force maintains that the officers’ actions amounted to gross misconduct and were serious enough to justify dismissal. Each officer is accused of accessing the police system on multiple occasions without a legitimate reason, with the actions falling outside of their duties.
Sarah Everard’s disappearance sparked a massive investigation after she was last seen walking home in South London. Her body was found a week later in woodland in Kent, and Couzens was arrested on March 9. He later pleaded guilty to kidnapping, rape, and murder, receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Couzens’ defense was initially based on a fabricated story involving an Eastern European gang, but this was quickly dismissed by investigators.
Despite his guilty plea, Couzens has not provided a clear explanation for his crimes and remains uncooperative in police interviews.
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