Former Met PC guilty of gross misconduct in Couzens flashing investigation

A disciplinary panel’s decided a former Metropolitan Police officer’s guilty of gross misconduct for not properly investigating flashing reports made against Wayne Couzens.

Samantha Lee didn't make the 'correct inquiries' over two incidents reported at a McDonald's in Kent in February 2021.

Ms Lee attended the restaurant on March 3 and interviewed manager Sam Taylor, hours before Sarah Everard was kidnapped by Couzens in Clapham, south-west London.

The former officer was also found to have lied about her actions when later questioned about the interview, claiming that she believed that CCTV at the restaurant was deleted automatically so there would be no footage of Couzens or the offence.

Panel chairman Darren Snow found that this dishonesty amounted to gross misconduct.

In his evidence, Mr Taylor said that he had shown Ms Lee CCTV footage and told her it could be downloaded on to a USB stick.

He also said that he explained to her that Couzens' registration plate could be seen in the CCTV footage of the second incident.

For her part, Ms Lee denied that this was the case, saying that he had told her that there was no CCTV.

Mr Snow, reading the panel's findings, found that Mr Taylor was a "credible" witness.

"We find Sam Taylor to be a credible witness and that his evidence was clear."

He added: "We find it inconceivable that he would not have shown her the CCTV evidence."

Instead, the panel found that Ms Lee had been driven to dishonesty by the "pressure" of the investigation.

"We have some understanding of this situation, a relatively straightforward exposure became an issue of immense pressure," he said.

In her evidence, Ms Lee admitted that she made some errors but said nothing she could have done "would have changed the tragic outcome" of what happened to Sarah Everard later that day.

"I accept that I could have done more around CCTV and evidence gathering, that was errors on my part and I accept that," she said.

"And as much as I have thought it over and over, I don't believe that anything I could have done would have changed the tragic outcome of what happened later that day."

In March this year, Couzens was sentenced to 19 months in prison after admitting three counts of indecent exposure.

He was already serving life behind bars for kidnapping Ms Everard as she walked home through Clapham, south London, on March 3 2021 and then murdering her.

The third indecent exposure incident related to when Couzens exposed himself to a female cyclist on a Kent country lane in November 2020.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said:

“I recognise this entire case has raised concerns and questions.

“An independent IOPC investigation concluded former PC Lee should face a misconduct hearing for allegations about her honesty and integrity, and how she carried out her duties and responsibilities.

“Today, a panel led by an independent chair, found that her actions fell below the professional standards expected of her.

“As the panel has made clear, honesty and integrity are fundamental to policing and our relationship with the public.

“The purpose of the gross misconduct hearing was not to decide whether Wayne Couzens’ future offending could have been prevented.

“The wider circumstances leading to Sarah Everard’s terrible murder will be considered by the Angiolini Inquiry and any subsequent inquest, and we are fully assisting them with their vital work.

“Fundamentally, I am sorry that Couzens was not arrested before he went on to murder Sarah Everard and we continue to think of her loved ones.

“We know that in recent years the Met’s response to violence against women and girls has not been good enough. We are working hard with survivors, communities and partners to improve our response and rebuild trust.”

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