Wayne Couzens was condemned to die in prison after a judge said exploiting his role as a police officer to kidnap, rape and murder Sarah Everard was on a par with a terrorist murder.

The former Scotland Yard officer joins Thomas Mair, the far-Right extremist who murdered Jo Cox, the Labour MP, and Islamist terrorist Michael Adebolajo, who beheaded drummer Lee Rigby, among the country’s most notorious inmates who will never be released.

Jim Sturman QC, defending, had argued that Couzens should not receive a full life sentence because he had shown genuine remorse and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, sparing Miss Everard’s family the agony of a protracted trial.

He also argued that there was no evidence to suggest that Couzens had set out with the deliberate intention to murder his victim.

Mr Sturman said Couzens’ family were at a loss as to understand why he had acted in the way he had and said colleagues in the police had described him as being “calm and friendly”.

“He appears to have been living a law-abiding life with a loving family,” he said.

But the judge, Mr Justice Fulford, said he had seen no sign of any genuine contrition from Couzens and said it was clear he had spent more than a month making trips to London in order to research how best to commit his crime.

Trust in police is damaged

On Wednesday, the Old Bailey heard how Couzens had used the Covid-19 lockdown laws to effect a false arrest on Miss Everard, who was walking home in south London on the evening of March 3 after visiting a friend.

The judge said this abuse of his role as a police officer to trick Miss Everard had damaged trust in the police and had jeopardised one of the fundamental safeguards of law of order in this country.

He said the breach of public trust by Couzens meant the offence was so serious it was on a par with a terrorist killing.

Flashing his warrant card, Couzens handcuffed Miss Everard before placing her in the back of his hire car and driving her to Kent, where he raped and murdered her.