Two of the seven Metropolitan Police officers facing a gross misconduct hearing for accessing files relating to the disappearance and murder of Sarah Everard have been pictured for the first time.
Former inspector Akinwale Ajose-Adeogun and former trainee Detective Constable Hannah Rebbeck are two of seven cops set to answer allegations concerning breaches of confidentiality, orders and instructions, and discreditable conduct.
Detective Sergeant Robert Butters, Police Sergeant Mark Harper, PC Myles McHugh, PC Clare Tett and Detective Constable Tyrone Ward will also sit before the hearings between October 28 and November 15.
Ms Everard, 33, was snatched from the streets in March 2021 by Wayne Couzens, who was working as an officer for the Met at the time.
Couzens used his police-issued warrant card to stage a fake arrest on Ms Everard, before he raped and strangled her to death.
Former inspector Akinwale Ajose-Adeogun (pictured) is facing a gross misconduct hearing in October
Former trainee Detective Constable Hannah Rebbeck (pictured) is another cop set to answer allegations concerning breaches of confidentiality, orders and instructions, and discreditable conduct
Sarah Everard (pictured) was abducted, raped and murdered by the Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens
Those who had accessed files relating to Ms Everard’s disappearance and the subsequent investigation were audited by investigators from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards
Following the serving Met officer’s sickening crimes, a review by Baroness Casey of the Met’s culture and standards was ordered in a bid ‘rebuild public trust’.
Her report said: ‘A series of scandals involving the Met and the Met’s response – playing them down, denial, obfuscation, and digging in to defend officers without seeming to understand their wider significance – combined with this loss of trust, are strong indicators of fundamental problems.’
The review added that the Met lacked ‘accountability and transparency’ and said ‘the Met needs to increase its accountability to Londoners, by being more transparent with the public’.
Today, the Met Police has refused to release photos of the seven officers facing gross misconduct hearings because they have not been charged.
Those who had accessed files relating to Ms Everard’s disappearance and the subsequent investigation were audited by investigators from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: ‘First and foremost our thoughts remain with Sarah Everards’ family. We have kept them updated throughout the investigation and have apologised to them for the added distress this has caused.
‘All Met officers and staff should have no doubt of the rules around accessing files and they know there must be a legitimate policing purpose to do so. As well as mandatory training on this issue, they are regularly reminded of our policies when logging into IT systems.
‘It is right this was subject to an investigation. It will now be for the hearing panel to look at all of the evidence and decide whether conduct matters are proven for any of these individuals.’
All seven officers are accused of ‘accessing a police system on multiple occasions relating to the disappearance of Sarah Everard’ that was ‘not undertaken in the course of their duties’ in March 2021 – the month that Ms Everard went missing.
The force say the alleged matters mount to Gross Misconduct which are so serious they justify dismissal.
Between March 10 and 12, 2021, former Inspector Akinwale Ajose-Adeogun allegedly accessed a police system on multiple occasions relating to the disappearance of Sarah Everard.
Meanwhile, also on March 10, Detective Sergeant Robert Butters allegedly accessed a police system relating to the disappearance of Sarah Everard.
Between March 10 and 13, 2021, Police Sergeant Mark Harper allegedly accessed a police system on multiple occasions relating to the disappearance of Sarah Everard.
Police Constable Myles McHugh allegedly did the same between March 5 and 9, 2021, and former Trainee Detective Constable Hannah Rebbeck allegedly did so between March 10 and 15, 2021.
On March 10, 2021, Police Constable Clare Tett allegedly accessed a number of police systems on multiple occasions relating to the disappearance of Sarah Everard, as Detective Constable Tyrone Ward also allegedly did between March 10 and 11.
For each allegation, the Met added that it was allegedly not undertaken in the course of their duties and they had no proper policing purpose to do so.
Ms Everard was snatched from the street as she was walking home from a friend’s house towards Brixton on March 3, 2021.
She had been reported missing by her boyfriend, who she called for around 14 minutes on an approximately 2.5 mile journey home which began at around 9pm.
The marketing assistant, who grew up in York and lived in London, was seen on a doorbell camera at around 9pm walking along Poynders Road towards Tulse Hill.
Ms Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, went missing as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, South London, on March 3
Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens (above), 48, from Deal, Kent, admitted to the kidnap, rape and murder of Everard in July 2021
Couzens as he served as a police officer before transferring to the Met Police elite unit
A number of areas were searched in Clapham as police tried to look for missing Sarah
CCTV caught her alone at quarter past nine and again at 9.28pm, before she was seen on the camera of a marked police car at 9.32pm.
Then at around 9.35pm, a bus camera captured two figures on the road and a white Vauxhall Astra with its hazard lights flashing.
Footage from another bus caught the same car with both front doors open.
The vehicle was later confirmed to have been hired from Dover after police caught its registration number and traced it as it left London for Kent.
A major Metropolitan Police investigation was launched and her body was found a week later in woodland in Kent.
On March 9, 2021, Couzens was arrested and charged with the kidnap and rape of Everard. He was later charged with her murder after medial reports were completed.
Police released this mugshot of murderer police officer Wayne Couzens after he admitted to the offences
Wayne Couzens seen in a court sketch during a previous hearing relating to the case
In July of that year, Couzens pleaded guilty to all three charges at the Old Bailey and was given a rare whole life prison sentence.
During the investigation, Couzens came up with an implausible lie an Eastern European gang had forced him to kidnap Ms Everard after underpaying a prostitute.
As the Met pursued its investigation the absurd story was dropped as he realised he could not escape justice.
But despite his new confession, Couzens – a diplomatic protection officer – has still refused to explain why he carried out his crimes, offering brazen ‘no comment’ replies in every police interview. He had even tried to kill himself in custody by running into a wall at the station.
He had meticulously planned the kidnap and hired a car three days earlier and bought a roll of self-adhesive film advertised as a carpet protector on Amazon.
