Woman in her 30s who was arrested by police probing disappearance of Sarah Everard is released

A woman in her 30s who was arrested in connection with the disappearance and death of Sarah Everard will face no further action, police have confirmed.

The woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender on March 9 but was released on bail until early June.

The Metropolitan Police have now confirmed she has been ‘released with no further action’.

The woman was arrested at the same time as PC Wayne Couzens, who pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape of Ms Everard at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

Couzens, from Deal, Kent, accepted responsibility for the killing of Ms Everard but was not asked to enter a plea to a charge of murder.

Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, was snatched from the street as she was walking home from a friend’s house towards Brixton on March 3

Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens (above), 48, from Deal, Kent, pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape of Ms Everard at the Old Bailey on Tuesday

A further hearing before Lord Justice Fulford is due to take place on July 9.

Ms Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, was snatched from the street as she was walking home from a friend’s house towards Brixton on March 3.    

The marketing assistant, who grew up in York and lived in Brixton, was seen on a doorbell camera at around 9pm walking along Poynders Road towards Tulse Hill.

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 Ms Everard’s body was found a week later in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent.

Couzens had not been due before court until next month but appeared on Tuesday at the Old Bailey via videolink.

Jeremy Everard (second left), the father of Sarah Everard, leaves the Old Bailey, central London, with other family members

Wayne Couzens seen in a court sketch during a previous hearing relating to the case

A number of areas were searched in Clapham as police tried to look for missing Sarah 

His lawyer Jim Sturman QC said: ‘Responsibility for the killing is also admitted.’ 

During the videolink, Couzens sat with his head bowed, only repeating ‘guilty sir’ when charges were put to him.

Ms Everard’s family were in court for the 20-minute hearing and saw him make his pleas. 

Lord Justice Adrian Falford said: ‘The defendant has pleaded guilty today to counts one and two of the indictment, the kidnap of Sarah Everard and the rape of Sarah Everard.

‘Count three, the count of murder, has not been put to the defendant because medical reports are awaited in relation to that allegation – although the defendant accepts responsibility for the killing.’

Couzens will return to court next month on July 9 when he is expected to answer the murder charge.