Home Secretary Priti Patel has said the Metropolitan Police must answer “serious questions” in the wake of Sarah Everard’s case.
Former Met Police officer, Wayne Couzens has been sentenced to a whole-life term for the murder of Sarah Everard.
Couzens admitted the kidnap, rape and murder of the 33-year-old when he appeared in court several months ago.
The case has sparked ongoing national outrage and calls for more action to tackle violence against women and girls.
Speaking at the Home Office, Priti Patel said: “There are questions, serious questions that need to be answered by the Metropolitan Police … from the very day that Sarah went missing, I have been, clearly, in contact with the Metropolitan Police and putting forward some questions around the conduct of the potential suspect at the time and all the requirements and checks that should have been put in place.”
When asked if Dame Cressida should resign, Patel said: “I will continue to work with the Metropolitan Police and the commissioner to hold them to account as everybody would expect me to do, and I will continue to do that.”
Describing Couzens as a “monster” and the case as “sickening” and an “appalling tragedy”, Ms Patel said: “It is right that he has been given a whole-life tariff and with that he can never walk the streets of our country again.”
On Twitter, Ms Patel penned a series of tweets to reinforce her reaction to the case and reassured women and girls that she will do “everything in [her] power” to protect them from violence.
What happened to Sarah sickens me to my stomach.
She is in my thoughts every single day and I have seen first-hand the bravery, courage and resolve of Sarah’s loving family.
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) September 30, 2021
Let me assure women and girls everywhere that I will do everything in my power to protect them from violence and harassment.
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) September 30, 2021
Watch the home secretary’s full interview via BBC Politics here:
Asked whether Cressida Dick should resign, Home Secretary Priti Patel says she will "continue to work with the Metropolitan Police and the commissioner to hold them to account"https://t.co/gZpof8jqaE pic.twitter.com/ZX1mckRIHx
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 30, 2021
Harriet Harman MP has asked Ms Patel to take urgent action to “rebuild the shattered confidence of women in the police service”, and has told Dame Cressida she needs to step aside to “enable these changes to be taken through”.
