London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Met Police chief orders review into ‘standards and culture’ in the force after Wayne Couzens convicted of kidnap, rape & murder

Met Police chief orders review into ‘standards and culture’ in the force after Wayne Couzens convicted of kidnap, rape & murder

The Metropolitan Police commissioner has ordered a review into her force’s “standards and culture”, after Wayne Couzens was given a whole-life order for kidnap, rape and murder – crimes he committed while a serving police officer.
Speaking on Monday, Cressida Dick refused to resign after Couzens was convicted last week of false arrest, kidnap, rape and murder.

“People are entitled to their opinion, but I’ve got a job to do and I’m getting on with it,” Dick stated, adding that it was her role to restore public trust in London’s police force. She said this would be achieved by “bringing in an independent person to review our standards and culture.”

The “fully transparent” report will review how officers in Britain’s largest force treat each other and engage with members of the public. “Our leadership, our processes, our systems, our people, our training – everything will be looked at,” the commissioner told the media.

She said the results of the inquiry would be made available directly to her, but any recommendation for changes would be made public.

Dick admitted that public trust had been damaged by Couzens. “We depend on the trust of the public. We police by consent and I know that public trust has been damaged. People are rightly gravely concerned about what they’ve seen,” she said, adding that the events were “dreadful” and her colleagues were “furious” about the way the force had been dragged into disrepute.

However, the commissioner also contended that there had been vast improvements in the way officers conducted themselves since she first joined the force 40 years ago, particularly with regard to sexist attitudes and behaviour.

Dick was speaking after former firearms officer Couzens was awarded a rare whole-life tariff on Thursday, meaning he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. He was found guilty of falsely arresting, kidnapping, raping and murdering Sarah Everard on March 3. Everard was walking home from a friend’s house in South London when she was abducted by Couzens, who used his police handcuffs on detaining her under false pretences.

Earlier on Monday, another Met officer, David Carrick, appeared in St Albans Magistrates’ Court, accused of raping a woman he met on the dating app Tinder. The court heard that Carrick – who was from the same unit as Couzens and is currently suspended from duty – “emphatically denies” he attacked the woman after they went out for drinks together.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has also opened a probe into five serving and former officers known to Couzens. Alarming messages of a “discriminatory and/or inappropriate nature” shared between Couzens and these officers were uncovered during the Everard investigation.

The commissioner has faced numerous calls to resign in recent months, but has the support of the government. She was due to relinquish her position in April, but her contract has been extended until 2024.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×