Sarah Everard Murder - Serving Met Officer Arrested *Mod Note in OP*

A very small number of lifers get to spend the actual remainder of their lives in prison.

The potential for release can be stipulated by the judge at sentencing, no? As such can the statement not influence this?

I think statement like this is similar in principle to a eulogy.

People would like "something" to be said, but there is no formal setting. Some judges/some priests have no problem with "the few words" being said and some don't allow them, as they are not part of the formal process.

It is also possible that something inappropriate will be said, which will appear to have some official sanction.

Justice is served.

It could only ever be this. Now he’ll be confined to a small room for the rest of his life, isolated from society, just as he deserves.

I think we need to get away from this impulse, it's not healthy for anyone. No abuse is good abuse even when the victim is a rapist themselves. Violence beget violence etc.

Besides being isolated indefinitely is probably worse and a punishment enough for anything.

Flashing and unwanted sexual advances shouldn't be treated as minor incidents. People should be reprimanded for these incidents and undergo mandatory psychological we evaluations.

Couzens was also known to be addicted to violent pornography. Porn seems to be widely accepted in our society and I'm sure violent pornography is fairly common. How do we stop this addiction? People seem to have normalised Pornhub and the likes - this website is known to feature violent, underage and non-consensual videos.

I'm not so sure it would make it harder.

Remember, he was brazen enough to stage a false arrest. This woman was possibly never in trouble with the police before, and had very little idea whether he was acting inappropriately. She was probably also scared, and didn't want to get into trouble. It's possible she was also unfamiliar with what a warrant card even looked like. It's dark too, so did she or anyone else even get a good look at it?

He could mock up the warrant / ID card easy enough, knowing exactly what one should look like. He didn't even need a marked police vehicle, as he used an unmarked rental. The unmarked car makes him look like a detective or more senior type officer. He could easily pull off the mannerisms and authority of a seasoned officer, even if sacked, because he was one. And he bought hand-cuffs off the internet.

I don't see why being sacked would necessarily stop this monster. Being sacked might have even pushed him over the edge quicker and made him an outcast and even less concerned with his behavior and actions. Psychopaths don't like being humiliated and taken down from their status in life. In fact it's very often status and position in life, that deters them from acting on their impulses. Not like normal people, who might consider other people's feelings or the wider consequences of their actions.

I don't really know what the answers are. It's very sad. If it was always easy to spot these guys before harm someone, I guess we wouldn't have an army of professionals trying desperately to understand them. Hopefully we will one day soon.

There was a former MET Chief Superintendant interviewed on TV at lunchtime talking about his reputation and why he evaded harsh sanctions including firing. One of the points made was that as a woman police officer who might be most inclined to have concerns about his behaviour, or been victim to his behaviour, it's very difficult to make a complaint as there's is often little appetite to hear itby those in authority and it will follow you through a career in a male dominated environment. You'll be continually thought of as "trouble", male colleagues will be less likely to want to partner you but most worryingly that women who unfairly get this reputation have found that in serious situations when they've radio'ed for backup/help it has not come, or not come in as timely a fashion as it would for other police. The point was made that the consequences for rocking the boat in jobs like this are very real and potentially very serious so it's especially difficult to make formal complaints. What was described mirrored almost exactly the situation in Ireland with women who've been victims of abuse in the Irish Defense Forces.

Very scary stuff!

They also made a point of saying that no one should agree to go with a police person in an unmarked car or alone with 1 police officer after arrest or if you are a victim/witness.

If anyone wants to read the full judgement sentencing.