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Rabu, 10 Maret 2021

Sarah Everard: Human remains found in Kent woodland - BBC News

Human remains have been found in the search for missing Sarah Everard, Met Commissioner Cressida Dick has said.

Ms Everard, 33, was last seen a week ago in Clapham, south London, on her way home from a friend's house.

Detectives have not yet been able to confirm the identity of the remains, which were discovered in woodland near Ashford, Kent.

It comes after a serving Met Police officer was arrested on suspicion of Ms Everard's kidnap and murder.

In a televised statement Dame Cressida said: "We have found, very sadly, what appears to be human remains."

The Met Police commissioner said specialist officers have updated Sarah's family on the investigation.

She added: "The news today that it was a Met Police officer arrested on suspicion of Sarah's murder has sent waves of shock and anger through the public and through the whole of the Met.

"I speak on behalf of all my colleagues in the Met when I say we are utterly appalled at this dreadful news. Our job is to patrol the streets and to protect people."

Hundreds of officers have been drafted in to help with the investigation as searches continue in south London and Kent.

Dame Cressida added: "Sarah's disappearance in these awful and wicked circumstances is every family's worst nightmare.

"I know Londoners will want to know that it is thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets.

"But I completely understand that despite this, women in London and the wider public - particularly those in the area where Sarah went missing - will be worried and may well be feeling scared."

The arrested officer, who was initially held on suspicion of kidnap, is also being questioned about a separate allegation of indecent exposure.

He was responsible for uniformed patrolling of diplomatic premises - including Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster, as well as foreign embassies in London.

He was off duty at the time of his arrest.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his thoughts were with Ms Everard and her friends and family.

Ms Everard, who is originally from York and attended Durham University, was last seen wearing a green rain jacket, navy blue trousers with a white diamond pattern, and turquoise and orange trainers. She is thought to have been wearing green earphones and a white beanie hat.

The case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because it involves a police officer.

A spokesman said it had been decided that the Met Police would investigate any potential conduct issues linked to the kidnap and murder allegations itself.

The IOPC is currently assessing whether any further measures should be taken in relation to the actions of police after Ms Everard was reported missing.

Disappearance timeline:

3 March: Sarah Everard vanishes after leaving a friend's house on Leathwaite Road, Clapham, about 21:00 GMT
5 March: Met Police are "increasingly concerned" for Ms Everard and make an appeal on Twitter
6 March: Ms Everard's family say her disappearance is "totally out of character" as officers search Clapham Common's ponds
7 March: Footage taken from a doorbell camera shows Ms Everard walking alone along the A205 Poynder Road towards Tulse Hill at 21:30. Police say it is unclear whether or not she reached her house in Brixton
8 March: More than 120 calls are made from the public on the case and more than 750 homes are visited as part of the investigation
9 March: A serving officer is arrested in Kent along with a woman who is held on suspicion of assisting an offender
10 March: Met Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave describes the arrest as "shocking and deeply disturbing". Extensive searches are carried out in parts of Kent. Later in the evening Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said human remains have been found in a woodland in Kent

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Disappearance timeline:

3 March: Sarah Everard vanishes after leaving a friend's house on Leathwaite Road, Clapham, about 21:00 GMT
5 March: Met Police are "increasingly concerned" for Ms Everard and make an appeal on Twitter
6 March: Ms Everard's family say her disappearance is "totally out of character" as officers search Clapham Common's ponds
7 March: Footage taken from a doorbell camera shows Ms Everard walking alone along the A205 Poynder Road towards Tulse Hill at 21:30. Police say it is unclear whether or not she reached her house in Brixton
8 March: More than 120 calls are made from the public on the case and more than 750 homes are visited as part of the investigation
9 March: A serving officer is arrested in Kent along with a woman who is held on suspicion of assisting an offender
10 March: Met Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave describes the arrest as "shocking and deeply disturbing". Extensive searches are carried out in parts of Kent. Later in the evening Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said human remains have been found in a woodland in Kent

For more London news follow on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Sarah Everard disappearance: 'Human remains' found in Kent woodland - BBC News

Human remains are believed to have been found in woodland in Kent by officers searching for missing 33-year-old Sarah Everard, Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has said.

Police have not yet been able to confirm any identity, she said.

Ms Everard, 33, was last seen a week ago in Clapham, south London, on her way home from a friend's house.

A serving Met Police officer has been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

In a televised statement, Ms Dick said: "This evening detectives and search teams have found, very sadly, what appears to be human remains."The discovery was made in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent."As you can imagine at this early stage we are not able to confirm any identity and indeed that may take us some considerable time."

Ms Everard's disappearance in "awful and wicked circumstances" was every family's nightmare, Ms Dick added.

She said Londoners should know that it was "thankfully incredibly rare" for a woman to be abducted from the capital's streets, but acknowledged that women in London and the wider public would be worried and "may be feeling scared".

She said there would continue to be increased police patrols in the area.

The commissioner added that her thoughts were with Ms Everard's family.

The news that a Met Police officer has been arrested on suspicion of Ms Everard's murder "has sent shockwaves and anger through the public and through the Met", Ms Dick said.

She added: "I speak on behalf of all my colleagues when I say that we are utterly appalled at this dreadful, dreadful news."Our job is to patrol the streets and protect people."

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Sarah Everard disappearance: Met officer arrested on suspicion of murder - BBC News

A serving Met police officer has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the disappearance of Sarah Everard.

Ms Everard, 33, was last seen a week ago in Clapham, south London, on her way home from a friend's house.

The suspect, in his 40s, is an officer with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, the Met said.

A woman, in her 30s, is also in custody after being arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

The Met said Ms Everard had not yet been found.

Her cousin, Tom Everard, said the family want to "focus on the facts as they emerge".

"I want to encourage people to come forward with anything they might have, and to continue supporting the police investigation," the 36-year-old added.

"We have to believe Sarah will still be found and brought back safely."

Officers are currently searching locations in London and Kent including a property in Deal and an area of woodland near Ashford.

The arrested officer, who was initially held on suspicion of kidnap, is also being questioned about a separate allegation of indecent exposure.

He was responsible for uniformed patrolling of diplomatic premises - including Downing Street, the Palace of Westminster, as well as foreign embassies in London.

He was off duty at the time of his arrest.

Since last Wednesday, officers have visited more than 750 homes in the Clapham area and have received more than 120 phone calls from the public, the Met said.

Marketing executive Ms Everard vanished on 3 March and was last captured on a doorbell camera walking alone along the A205 Poynders Road towards Tulse Hill at about 21:30 GMT.

Ms Everard's family previously said it was out of character for her to disappear.

She is thought to have walked through Clapham Common towards her house in Brixton - a journey which should have taken about 50 minutes.

Speaking after the arrest on Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: "The fact that the man who has been arrested is a serving Metropolitan Police officer is both shocking and deeply disturbing."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his thoughts were with Ms Everard and her friends and family.

After the arrest the Met referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The IOPC said a mandatory referral was made in relation to the Met's actions after Ms Everard was reported missing.

Analysis

BBC London's Home Affairs correspondent Katharine Carpenter

This morning Mr Ephgrave described the arrest of a serving Met Police officer as both shocking and disturbing.

That officer has now been further arrested on suspicion of murder.

It's unusual for such a senior officer to give a statement at this stage of an investigation and perhaps reflects the horror felt within the force - a profession where colleagues often describe themselves as family.

We have now learnt the arrested officer is in his 40s and works in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command where his primary role was to patrol diplomatic premises.

Understandably, Sarah's disappearance has made some people in and around Clapham nervous for their own safety.

Social media users have said the arrest of a police officer has heightened anxiety.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: "All women and girls should be able to feel safe on the streets of London at all times.

"I know how shocked and worried Londoners are by Sarah's disappearance and the developments in the case."

Disappearance timeline:

3 March: Sarah Everard vanishes after leaving a friend's house on Leathwaite Road, Clapham, around 21:00 GMT
5 March: Met Police says it is "increasingly concerned" for Ms Everard and make an appeal on Twitter at 11:30
6 March: Ms Everard's family say her disappearance is "totally out of character" as officers search Clapham Common's ponds
7 March: Footage taken from a doorbell camera shows Ms Everard walking alone along the A205 Poynder Road towards Tulse Hill at 21:30. Police say it is unclear whether or not she reached her house in Brixton
8 March: More than 120 calls are made from the public on the case and over 750 homes are visited as part of the investigation
9 March: A serving officer is arrested in Kent along with a woman who is held on suspicion of assisting an offender
10 March: Met Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave describes the arrest as "shocking and deeply disturbing". Extensive searches are carried out in parts of Kent