Wayne Couzens has been sentenced to 19 months for three offences of indecent exposure before he abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard.

The former Metropolitan Police officer is already serving a whole life sentence for the murder of Ms Everard, 33, in March 2021.

Couzens, 50, pleaded guilty to all three counts of indecent exposure in February.

He was sentenced to a total of 19 months for the first offence, and a subsequent sentence of six months each for the later incidents.

These sentences will be served concurrently, meaning an overall sentence of 19 months.

Updates on case – ‘Attention will turn to any missed opportunities to stop Couzens’

The incidents took place at numerous locations between November 2020 and February 2021.

On the first occasion, Couzens appeared naked out of a woodland in Deal – the Kent coastal town where he is from – and exposed his genitals as a woman cycled past.

He was supposedly on duty at the time.

She was described as “scared and shaken” by the judge, Mrs Justice May.

Couzens exposed himself to staff at a fast food drive-thru restaurant in Kent, on 14 and 27 February 2021.

On the last occasion, staff took a registration number and identified the car from CCTV as a black Seat which was registered to Couzens.

A credit card in his name was also used to pay.

‘It will remain with me for the rest of my life’

Appearing in court via video link from Frankland Prison, Durham, he gave no reaction as statements from the women were read out in court.

The female cyclist said her “freedom” to enjoy country walks and cycling had been taken away by his “selfish, aggressive act”.

“Four months after you exposed yourself to me, you raped and murdered an innocent woman,” she told Couzens. “The horror of what happened will remain with me for the rest of my life.”

In an emotional delivery, another victim described that she has now started to take pubic transport home from work.

She said it made her realise that some police officers could be a threat, and if he had been held accountable at the time of the exposure, it could have saved Ms Everard.

Following the sentencing, Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS special crime division, said Couzens had repeatedly targeted women to expose himself to on multiple occasions.

“These offences were abhorrent and caused great distress and discomfort for the victims,” she said.

“It is right that he has been prosecuted for these offences and that he will continue to spend the rest of his life in prison.”

Speaking outside the Old Bailey, Sky News correspondent, Matthew Thompson, said Mrs Justice May made it clear why it was important Couzens was sentenced for these other crimes, even if it makes no difference to the overall time he spends in prison.

She said it was an “administration of justice” but also acted as “some form of restitution for the victims”.

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