Post-mortem on Sarah ‘inconclusive’

AN INQUEST into the death of Sarah Everard has opened in Kent, with her parents and siblings present.

Inquiries into the cause of Ms Everard’s death are still under way after an initial post-mortem examination was inconclusive, a coroner said.

Senior coroner Patricia Harding opened the inquest in Maidstone, Kent, yesterday as police continued their investigations.

The hearing took less than half an hour. The inquest was opened and adjourned pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

Ms Everard, originally from York, went missing on March 3 while walking home after visiting a friend in south London.

Her body was found in woodland near Ashford in Kent a week later and serving police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, from Deal, in Kent, has been charged with her murder.

Elsewhere in the county, a large police presence has been seen in the town of Sandwich in recent days as officers continue to search for clues.

Giving evidence at the brief hearing, acting Detective Inspector Lee Tullett said police had worked to plot Ms Everard’s route home on March 3.

He told the coroner she made a 15-minute call to her boyfriend that ended around 9.27pm.

He added: “There was no further activity on her phone. There was no social media presence and she failed to attend a meeting at work the following day. This was all very much out of character.”

A missing person’s inquiry was launched and continued as police conducted searches, viewed CCTV and carried out inquiries.

The inquest heard more than one post-mortem examination had so far been commissioned and that police were awaiting the final results.