Officers Charged Over Shocking WhatsApp Messages Linked to Sarah Everard Case
Three officers are set to face Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 16 March over offensive messages sent on a WhatsApp group chat. The charges relate to the high-profile Wayne Couzens case, the murderer of Sarah Everard.
Alleged Offences Date Back to 2019
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) revealed the alleged offences took place between April and August 2019. The investigation kicked off after the Metropolitan Police referred the matter in April last year.
The IOPC’s investigation began following a referral from the Metropolitan Police Service in April last year and was completed in December when we referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The CPS has now taken the decision to authorise charges against the officers,” said the IOPC.
CPS Confirms Charges of Grossly Offensive Messages
Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS special crime division, confirmed all three defendants face charges of transmitting grossly offensive messages on a public communications network.
“The alleged offences took place on a WhatsApp group chat,” she said. “Our role is not to decide guilt but to fairly assess if the matter should proceed in court. We also caution against publishing anything that might affect the defendants’ right to a fair trial.”
Metropolitan Police Respond
The Met stated they are aware of charges against two current and one former officer involving grossly offensive messages on a public platform.
