The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Patel announces probe into ‘failures’ by police over Sarah’ s murderer
An independent inquiry will be launched into the “systematic failures” that allowed Sarah Everard’s killer to be employed as a police officer, the home secretary has announced.
Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Priti Patel said the public needs answers to ensure “something like this can never happen again” after Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens kidnapped, raped and murdered the 33-year-old marketing executive.
She said: “The public have a right to know what systematic failures enabled his continued employment as a police officer.
“We need answers as to why this was allowed to happen.
“I can confirm today there will be an inquiry, to give the independent oversight needed, to ensure something like this can never happen again.”
The home secretary said she has “redoubled” her efforts to help make women and girls feel safer, telling the conference in Manchester: “All our thoughts remain with Sarah Everard’s family and friends.
“Her murderer, whose name I will not repeat, was a monster. His explicit intention was to instil fear and terror in women and girls.
“I say this as home secretary, but also as a woman – such unconscionable crimes and acts of violence against women and girls have no place in our society.”
The Home Office said the inquiry will be made up of two parts – first examining Couzens’ previous behaviour and establishing a “definitive account of his conduct leading up to his conviction, as well as any opportunities missed, drawing on the Independent Office for
Police Conduct’s (IOPC) investigations, once concluded”.
The second will look at any specific problems raised by the first part of the inquiry, which could include wider issues across policing – such as vetting practices, professional standards and discipline, and workplace behaviour.
But the plans came under fire from shadow home secretary Nick ThomasSymonds, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially dodged calls to back a public inquiry.
He said: “Labour has been calling for a full independent inquiry for days, yet the prime minister refused to support one.
“Now the home secretary has half-heartedly announced one, but not put it on a robust, statutory footing to ensure there are no barriers in the way to getting answers.”
The Home Office said a non-statutory inquiry will be established, given the “need to provide assurance as swiftly as possible”, but this can be converted to a statutory inquiry, where
witnesses can be compelled to give evidence, if required.
Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, supported the inquiry but added: “We cannot and are not waiting for the findings of this inquiry to begin rebuilding women’s trust that police officers will protect and respect them.”
Ms Patel told conference that she will also commission another inspection of vetting and anti-corruption procedures in policing in England and Wales