Wednesday, October 9, 2024
HomeCrimeFormer PC to face misconduct hearing over claims of failing to investigate...

Former PC to face misconduct hearing over claims of failing to investigate Wayne Couzens

Former PC Samantha Lee, who was a Constable based in the South Area Command Unit, is accused of “failing to undertake the correct investigative enquiries” in March 2021 after Couzens had exposed himself to staff at a takeaway restaurant before the murder of Sarah Everard.

Couzens is serving the rest of his life in prison for the kidnap, rape, and murder of Ms Everard as she walked home through south London on March 3, 2021.

The horrific killing came after a pattern of escalating sexual offending by Couzens, who was then a serving firearms officer in the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit.

He has since admitted flashing takeaway staff twice, in February 2021, and an Old Bailey hearing was told that evidence linking Couzens to the crimes was passed to police. However he had not been identified as the culprit at the time Ms Everard was snatched and killed.

Couzens was sentenced to 19 months in prison in March after he admitted three counts of indecent exposure.

This is included the two takeaway incidents and a third, from November 2020, when he stood naked by the side of the road in the view of a passing female cyclist.

Lee, who is no longer a PC, is facing a seven-day misconduct hearing due to start on May 15.

The hearing announcement said: “It is alleged that in March 2021 former PC Lee failed to undertake the correct investigative enquiries into an allegation of indecent exposure (concerning Wayne Couzens as the named suspect) and that she subsequently provided a misleading account of her actions when questioned about them.

“It is alleged that in doing so the following Standards of Professional Behaviour have been breached: Duties and Responsibilities; Honesty and Integrity.

“The matter set out above is alleged to amount to gross misconduct in that it is so serious as to justify dismissal.”

The hearing will be held at Palestra House from 15 to 23 May 2023.

(Source: Yahoo News)

RELATED ARTICLES

Stay Connected

34,507FansLike
14,825FollowersFollow
4,767FollowersFollow

Must Read