Wayne Couzens was known as 'the rapist' by other officers says Chief Inspector

Wayne Couzens was known as “the rapist” by other officers at times during his career, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Tom Winsor has confirmed.

Sir Tom said the Independent Office for Police Conduct was investigating what other officers knew about Couzens following his conviction for the murder of Sarah Everard.

Asked on BBC Radio 4’s The World At One if he was aware of Couzens’ reputation as “the rapist”, Sir Tom said: “Yes, I do know that. And (he) also had allegedly a reputation in terms of drug abuse, extreme pornography and other offences of this kind.”

He said he did not believe Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick should have to resign over the case.

“Cressida Dick is not responsible for the individual acts of every police officer, including a police officer of the appalling criminal intent of Wayne Couzens. Cressida Dick has a great deal of support from her officers and has led the force with distinction,” he said.

When asked if Dame Cressida should resign, Priti Patel said: “I think first of all there are important questions and questions that I’ve been asking and challenges, we have to be honest about this, in particular to this case, but also the conduct of that serving officer and conduct of policing more broadly.

“So, I will continue to work with the Metropolitan Police and the Commissioner to hold them to account as everybody would expect me to do, and I will continue to do that.”