Setting out the small print of the primary of the offences, Tom Little KC mentioned: “On the afternoon of 13 November [complainant 1] was biking alongside Ringwould Street. It’s an remoted slender rural lane in Kent. It runs roughly parallel to and about two miles inland from the Kent Coast between Deal and Dover.
“It’s just a few miles from the place the defendant took Sarah Everard, having kidnapped her and after he had moved her from one car to a different in Dover.
“As [complainant 1] was biking on an uphill part of Ringwould Street, the defendant stepped out of the woodland and stood on a financial institution above her as she approached.”
He added: “The defendant was completely bare. He was masturbating his uncovered penis and did so while he was [complainant 1].
“She felt she had no alternative however to proceed biking previous him due to the street format. There have been no phrases exchanged between them. She had a transparent view of him and clearly remembered what he seemed like.”
Mr Little mentioned somewhat additional alongside the street, the sufferer cycled previous a black automotive that was parked in an uncommon spot and he or she recalled a part of the quantity plate.
The sufferer then got here throughout two girls whom she advised in regards to the incident and one among them mentioned she was a police officer who mentioned she would have a look.
The sufferer reported the incident to Kent Police on-line, offering an outline of the defendant and the partial automotive registration, however Mr Little mentioned the power had been unable to progress the investigation with out the complete quantity plate.
‘Prompt shock’
The court docket heard that on March 11 2021, following Couzens’ arrest for the kidnap and homicide of Miss Everard, the sufferer’s husband confirmed her an image of the defendant.
Mr Little mentioned: “She felt immediate shock at seeing the image and mentioned she was 90 per cent positive it was him who had masturbated in entrance of her. She subsequently attended an identification process and recognized the defendant was the one that had uncovered himself to her.”
The barrister went on: “Additional enquiries have confirmed that the defendant was on account of be working from house (in Deal) on 13 November 2020 between 8am and 4pm. It follows that he was on responsibility on the time of the offence.”
Mr Little mentioned that cell web site evaluation of Couzens’ cell phone additionally confirmed that he had spent about one-and-a-half hours on the similar spot on the morning of Nov 13 “once more when theoretically working from house”.
Publicity at quick meals drive-thru
The opposite offences to which Couzens pleaded responsible befell in February 2021 on the McDonald’s drive-thru in Swanley.
The court docket heard that on Feb 14, he had been on a relaxation day, however left his house in Deal at round 8.20pm and drove to London the place he briefly visited his Metropolitan Police base in Lillie Street.
Mr Little mentioned: “He was not on responsibility that night and his go to stays totally unexplained on Valentine’s Day. Nonetheless, his journey shouldn’t be dissimilar to the evening on which he kidnapped Sarah Everard.”
At about 11.41pm, he visited the McDonald’s restaurant the place he ordered a white espresso and a double cheeseburger.
When he drove to the fee home windows, the member of employees noticed that he had his penis pulled above the waistband of his shorts.
One other member of employees who handed him his order additionally noticed that he was exposing himself.
The 2 members of employees reported the incident to their supervisor, who took particulars of the bank card receipt however didn’t at that stage report the matter to the police.
On Feb 27, Couzens had been working a day shift in London and set off to drive house after ending at 7pm.
At round 8.30pm, he once more stopped off at McDonald’s the place he positioned an order for a espresso, an orange juice, two double cheeseburgers and medium fries.
When he approached the window in his automotive to gather the order, the feminine member of employees observed he was bare from the waist down and his erect penis was uncovered.
The sufferer instantly reported the matter to her supervisor who recorded the car registration and contacted the police.
Mr Little mentioned: “A phone name was made to police on the afternoon of the next day. Throughout that decision, the police have been knowledgeable of the small print of the automotive and the actual fact the final 4 digits of the MasterCard matched with the incident two weeks earlier than.
“Nonetheless, the defendant was not spoken to prematurely of the occasions of three March 2021.”
Incident left a ‘darkish stain’
In a sufferer affect assertion, the complainant within the Kent offence mentioned the incident had left a “darkish stain” on her life and he or she had since been recognized with PTSD.
The sufferer added: “I’m conscious that for some, indecent publicity is seen as a minor offence. However analysis reveals that this can be a progressive type of behaviour. I keep in mind vividly caring that anyone who might expose themselves to a stranger in such an intimidating manner might go on to commit rather more critical acts.
“That is what occurred. 4 months after you uncovered your self to me, you raped and murdered an harmless lady.
“There have been alternatives to determine you and so they weren’t taken. I didn’t really feel that, once I reported your crime, it was taken as significantly as I felt that it ought to have been. The horror of what occurred will stay with me for the remainder of my life.”
She went on: “Presently our society, and a few police forces, don’t, in my expertise, take this crime as significantly as they need to. When it’s best to have been performing professionally and defending the general public, you have been gratifying your self and abusing your place.
“Your behaviour, and the next failure by Kent police, have significantly eroded my confidence within the police usually.”
In her witness affect assertion, the second lady mentioned: “My perspective of the police has been altered considerably. Previous to this, I didn’t have a agency opinion of the police as I’ve been lucky sufficient to not require them.
“Nonetheless, now whereas I do know the police have an obligation of care, my belief within the police to deal with me nicely has been diminished. I don’t prefer to tar everybody with the identical brush, however it has been troublesome not to take action after realizing what he did for a residing and realizing I might have come throughout him in uniform and never recognized what he was able to.”
Religion within the police ‘shattered’
The third sufferer, who tearfully learn her affect assertion to the court docket additionally mentioned her religion within the police had been shattered.
She mentioned: “In spite of everything this time, I’ve seen increasingly officers discovered concerned in unlawful actions. The individuals we’re purported to belief. I had not beforehand had many dealings with police. After discovering out what Wayne Couzens did for a residing, it has prompted me to be extra cautious of taking issues like that belief at face worth.
“It made me realise that law enforcement officials are peculiar individuals, a few of whom may very well be a menace as an alternative of making an attempt to guard me.
“This indecent publicity incident was reported on the Sunday. I had nobody contact me or ask for a press release. It was solely after Sarah’s homicide that I turned concerned. If he had been held accountable once we had reported the crime, we might have saved Sarah.”
Couzens has pleaded responsible to a few offences of indecent publicity, with different prices left on file.
The sentencing listening to was happening earlier than Mrs Justice Could, with Couzens showing from HMP Frankland, the place he’s serving an entire life sentence for the kidnap, homicide and rape of Miss Everard.
Members of Miss Everard’s household have been additionally viewing the sentencing listening to through video hyperlink.
