Wayne Couzens, a former police officer, has lost his appeal to have his life sentence reduced for the rape and murder of Sarah Everard, 33.

It was the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single adult murder that had not been committed as part of a terror attack.

Couzens’ lawyers argued in an appeal that he deserved “decades in jail,” but that a life sentence was excessive.

However, Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and four other judges refused to commute Couzens’ sentence on Friday.

Former police officer Wayne Couzens murdered Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive.
Marketing executive, 33 years old Wayne Couzens, a former police officer, murdered Sarah Everard.
Because of the facts of Couzens’ case, Lord Burnett said the sentencing judge was within his rights to impose a life sentence.

Couzens’ case was heard alongside that of Ian Stewart, a double murderer who murdered his wife six years before murdering his fiancee.