The Home Secretary has today (10 January)
published the terms of reference for the first phase of the
Angiolini Inquiry, investigating how a serving Metropolitan
Police officer was able to abduct, rape and murder Sarah Everard.
The first phase will begin shortly and is intended to be
concluded this year to ensure the Everard family get the answers
they need.
In November, the Home Secretary, following consultation with the
family of Sarah Everard, appointed former Lord Advocate Rt Hon
Dame to chair the Inquiry.
She brings an extensive legal background and has chaired several
inquiries into issues related to policing and the criminal
justice system.
The Inquiry will be made up of two parts. The first phase will
seek to establish:
- An overall timeline of Wayne Couzens’ career and relevant
incidents, including prior allegations of criminal behaviour
and/or misconduct;
- The circumstances and decision-making relating to his vetting
and re-vetting, including whether any potential risks and/or red
flags were missed;
- Any other relevant matters arising from his transfers between
forces;
- His overall conduct – including non-disciplinary matters, his
performance and training;
- The extent to which any issues relating to his behaviour,
particularly in relation to women, were known and raised by
colleagues, (including professional standards and senior
leaders);
- Any abuse of his police powers
This will be done using methods including, but not limited to:
analysis of documentation from relevant forces, including the
Metropolitan Police Service, Civil Nuclear Constabulary and Kent
Police; interviews and witness statements; and findings from the
relevant Independent Office for Police Conduct investigations.
The findings of Part One will inform the Home Secretary’s
consideration of what further, broader, issues arise for policing
and the protection of women that should be considered in Part Two
of the Inquiry.
Part One of the inquiry will be non-statutory to allow for it to
be established and operate as swiftly and flexibly as possible to
enable Sarah’s family to receive answers as soon as possible.
However, the Home Secretary has been clear that should Dame Elish
require it in order to fulfil the Terms of Reference, the option
remains to convert it to a statutory inquiry.
Home Secretary said:
“I am determined to understand the failings that enabled a
serving officer to commit such heinous crimes – we owe an
explanation to Sarah’s family and loved ones, and we need to do
all in our power to prevent something like this from ever
happening again.
“The terms of reference agreed today for the Angiolini Inquiry
are vital and will produce learning and recommendations for
policing and others. I have assured Dame Elish she has my full
support to ensure this Inquiry gets the answers the public and
the Everard family need as soon as possible.”
Dame said:
“The publication of the terms of reference is a significant step
forward to progressing this vital Inquiry and ensuring Sarah’s
family and the wider public get a full understanding and
explanation of the causes of, and factors contributing to, this
tragic and harrowing murder.”
Notes to editor:
- The Terms of Reference can be viewed here.
- Dame Elish currently serves as Principal at St Hugh’s
College, Oxford, and is a Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University
of Oxford. Previously, she was Solicitor General for Scotland
from 2001 to 2006 and served as Lord Advocate of Scotland between
2006-2011.
- She led a review commissioned by the then Home Secretary
into deaths in police
custody, which published a report in 2017. Dame Elish also
recently led a review into police complaints handling,
investigations and misconduct issues in Police Scotland, the
final report of which was published in November 2020.
