Met chief needs to go to restore trust
■ Judge Lord Justice Fulford ruled that former policeman Wayne Couzens deserved the toughest sentence of life in prison following his ‘devastating, tragic and wholly brutal’ abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard (Metro, Fri).
Metropolitan police chief Dame Cressida Dick (right) is a disgrace to the uniform for continuing to cling to her top job after one of her own did what he did. It is reprehensible.
It also speaks volumes of the utter ineptitude of this country’s leaders – the offices of prime minister and home secretary – that she has not been sacked already.
Tony O’Donnell, Edinburgh
■ Cressida Dick should never have been appointed police chief and politicians are still covering their error by refusing to let her go. Her own police record is a disaster story.
Keith, via email
■ That multiple officers are under investigation for sharing violent images, discriminatory messages and classified information in connection with the Sarah Everard case is an absolute disgrace in itself.
Even if she is not directly responsible, the buck stops with Cressida Dick – and if this is not an issue to resign over, I’m not sure what is. It happened on her watch.
A new commissioner is now needed to change the culture of the Met, which must be placed under the microscope for all our sakes. Women, and society as whole, must have confidence in those paid to protect us.
Martin, West Hampstead
■ Any male Met police officer approaching any woman ought to be prepared for an unfriendly response – and take it. Respect has gone through the floor and I for one am livid and astounded that that monster, despite all warning signs, was on the force. My best advice to Met police – back off!
Sue, London
■ There have been many cases that gift a compelling argument for the return of the death penalty and this is the most compelling yet.
As a retired Met police officer, I gave the best 30 years of my life trying to make the streets of London safer. Couzens’ actions have tainted everyone who has served, is serving and who will serve in policing.
This evil and disgusting specimen should no longer have the right to share my air. I would sleep easy having walked him to his lethal injection personally. I’m confident that, if they were permitted to say so,
the vast majority of police, past and present, would share this view.
Perhaps it is time to remove the reporting filter, stop sanitising the brutal realities of crime and let the public see the absolute horror that all emergency services personnel witness. Then, and only then, would the armchair commentators be qualified to comment.
Russell Williams, Newport
■ Surely any murder is evil and sentences for murder should all carry the same weight.
Years ago, Couzens would have been given an almost certain death sentence, which I don’t condone, as many mistakes have been made, so the only alternative is for murderers to spend their whole life in prison, without the luxuries they now enjoy. NM, Newark