Inquest into death of Sarah Everard adjourned until after criminal case

18 March 2021, 10:27 | Updated: 18 March 2021, 20:23

An inquest into the death of Sarah Everard has been opened and adjourned until after criminal case has taken place.

Ms Everard’s body has been released to her family to be laid to rest at a funeral, the opening to her inquest was told this morning.

The parents, brother and sister of the 33-year-old were in court to hear proceedings on Thursday, conducted by senior coroner Patricia Harding.

An inquest was opened and then adjourned pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.

Coroner Patricia Harding said: "All that remains is to express to the family watching today how very sorry I am for your loss."

Sarah, 33, went missing on March 3 while walking home after visiting a friend in south London, and her death has sparked a number of protests in the city and across the rest of the country.

She was found in woodland near Ashford in Kent a week after going missing.

Her body was discovered inside a large builder's bag and was formally identified through her dental records, a court has been previously told.

Serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, from Deal, also in Kent, has been charged with her kidnap and murder.

On Wednesday, police said a second post mortem is being carried out on Ms Everard after the first could not provide conclusive results.

News of the second post-mortem examination came as searches continued in connection with the case, with officers combing areas of woodland in the county.

Large portions of the historic town of Sandwich have been cordoned off, while specialist divers have been called up from Devon and Cornwall to search a small stretch of water.

On Monday, officers were seen searching a shopping trolley shelter outside a Co-operative supermarket and looking under vehicles.

Scotland Yard said police have been routinely searching areas of London and Kent as part of the investigation.

On Tuesday, Couzens made his first appearance at the Old Bailey by video link from Belmarsh top security jail in south London.

Wearing a red sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms, the defendant appeared to have a wound on his forehead.

He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.