Sarah Everard: Second post mortem carried out after first was 'inconclusive'

17 March 2021, 20:06 | Updated: 18 March 2021, 10:30

A second post mortem is being carried out on Sarah Everard after the first could not provide conclusive results, police have said.

The procedure was done in Kent on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of an inquest hearing due to take place on Thursday.

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.

Read more: Police officer charged with murder of Sarah Everard appears in court

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

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.

Members of Ms Everard's family joined the hearing in court 10 of the Central Criminal Court by video link, according to court officials.