Where is Sarah Everard's killer Met Police officer Wayne Couzens? Whereabouts explored ahead of #TextMeWhenYouGetHome premiere

Lifetime's #TextMeWhenYouGetHome is an upcoming true-crime docuseries that will recount stories of lone women who have been abducted, assaulted, or even murdered. The titular hashtag gained prominence after the horrific kidnapping and murder case of Sarah Everard in March 2021.

The widespread conversations and global outcry about the lack of safety of women in public has now inspired a series that will shed further light on the issue. The official synopsis for #TextMeWhenYouGetHome reads:

"#TextMeWhenYouGetHome became a viral, worldwide movement following the 2021 death of Sarah Everard. The slogan sparked awareness around vulnerability women feel while out in public alone. In this gripping, true-crime docuseries, each episode follows the case of an innocent woman who has been abducted, harmed or even killed while she was out by herself. Emotional interviews by loved-ones drive these stories; accompanied by stylistic recreations, actual texts, phone records and other digital breadcrumbs that authorities used to solve the case. Keeping the mystery alive is the whodunnit aspect, as all suspects are explored until the actual perpetrator is caught. In several episodes, survivors of these harrowing sagas will be revealed to tell their own story, in their words."

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Wayne Couzens: Perpetrator in the case that inspired #TextMeWhenYouGetHome

Wayne Couzens was charged and arrested about a week after the abduction of Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive. Although he continued to carry out his life as per usual, he called in sick on March 8, the day he was due to return to work. He was arrested the next day and charged when Everard's remains were found 130 meters from a land owned by him.

Wayne Couzens was a 48-year-old parliamentary and diplomatic protection officer when he assaulted and murdered Sarah Everard. He had been a police officer since 2002. He began working at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, from where he was transferred to the Met in 2018. After the arrest, Couzens was sacked by the Met and investigations were launched into his previous predatory behaviour.

In July 2021, Couzens pleaded guilty to murder at the Old Bailey while appearing via a video link from the Belmarsh High Security Jail. He further appeared in court in-person for a two-day sentencing hearing where he was handed a whole-life term.

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Where is Wayne Couzens now?

Wayne Couzens had been placed in a wing for vulnerable inmates. On his third day in custody, he was hospitalized following a suicide attempt while awaiting trial. He even threatened to go on a hunger strike to protest his supposed harsh treatment in jail.

Just before Christmas, Couzens was moved from Belmarsh prison to HMP Frankland in County Durham. The latter houses some of the most dangerous criminals in England.

According to the Manchester Evening News, a non-statutory inquiry, led by Dame Elish Angiolini, was also launched to look into how Couzens was able to work as a police officer for three different forces despite concerns about his conduct. The Met also commissioned its own review of the culture and standards in the force.

As per Sky News, a special court of five judges heard challenges to the whole-life prison sentence of notorious killers like Wayne Couzens in May 2022. This was the first time that this sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.

Couzens appeared in the Royal Courts of Justice via video link from HMP Frankland. Jim Sturman QC, for Couzens, argued that a whole life-term was excessive and that "the combination of his remorse and guilty pleas" should be accounted for. However, the court held that the whole-life order was the right sentence to impose in Couzens' case.

#TextMeWhenYouGetHome premieres on June 6, 2022, at 9/8c on Lifetime.