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Cases of UK police abusing role for sexual gain have risen sharply, says watchdog

Bianca Rahimi
Press TV, London

This is the night in March 2021, when 33-year-old Sarah Everard was arrested, raped and murdered by police officer Wayne Couzens.

He has been handed a life sentence, but since the murder public trust in the force has plummeted.

Britain’s most senior police officer has promised a thorough investigation into the Met’s culture and the Independent Force for Police Conduct says it is dealing with a slew of new referrals since it changed the criteria for Abuse of Power for Sexual Purposes.

But is it about referral criteria, or something more ingrained and sinister. Couzens was nicknamed "the rapist" by his colleagues. So why wasn’t he weeded out by the MET?

Sixteen of Couzens' former colleagues are facing a criminal investigation. On his phone the force found vile texts exchanged with 6 of them, evidence of their being what some call, “a boys club of misogyny” within the force.

Women are now being advised not to get into police cars if they are alone with one officer. The MET says it polices by consent, but for Sarah Everard at least, resisting arrest just was not an option.


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