Samantha Lee: McDonald's manager contradicts ex-PC's evidence about Wayne Couzens' flashing
Former Met Police officer Samantha Lee is said to have failed to make "the correct investigative inquiries" over two incidents when Couzens exposed himself to female staff at a McDonald's restaurant, before he raped and killed Sarah Everard.
Tuesday 16 May 2023 19:53, UK
A McDonald's manager has contradicted the evidence of a former Metropolitan Police officer about CCTV footage of flashing incidents involving Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens.聽
Ex-police constable Samantha Lee is said to have failed to make "the correct investigative inquiries" over two incidents when exposed himself at the restaurant's drive-through in Swanley, Kent, on 14 and 27 February 2021.
On both occasions, Couzens - then a serving Met Police officer - was seen by female staff to have his pants open and his penis on display.
Ms Lee attended the restaurant to interview the branch's manager, Sam Taylor, hours before Couzens kidnapped Ms Everard in Clapham, southwest London, on 3 March.
Ms Lee is alleged to have lied about her actions when questioned later, as she claimed she believed the CCTV at the restaurant deleted automatically and so there was no CCTV evidence of Couzens or the offence.
At a police disciplinary hearing, Mr Taylor said he had shown Ms Lee CCTV footage and told her it could be downloaded onto a USB stick.
"I showed her on the actual screen in the office," he said.
"I showed her what I looked at before using the time from the receipts and it shows the car coming around."
He said he told her Couzens' registration plate could be seen in the CCTV footage of the second incident.
He knew what times to play the CCTV because of time stamps on Couzens' receipts.
"I said: 'We could burn this on a USB'," he added.
Mr Taylor told the hearing he showed Ms Lee all the evidence he had, adding: "I told her everything I knew and I explained how we caught him out the second time."
He said Ms Lee stayed at the restaurant for "probably" 10 minutes in total.
"It wasn't quick, it wasn't long either, it was probably 10 minutes," he added.
Read more:
Police officer 'missed opportunity to investigate Couzens'
How Sarah Everard's killer was caught
Ms Lee is said to have breached the force's standards on duties and responsibilities as well as honesty and integrity.
She denies both allegations.
If she is found to have committed gross misconduct, she could be banned from serving in the force again.
The misconduct hearing in Southwark, London, is expected to last seven days.
In March, Couzens - already serving a whole life prison term - was sentenced to 19 months in prison after admitting three counts of indecent exposure.
The third indecent exposure incident related to when Couzens exposed himself to a female cyclist on a Kent country lane in November 2020.
He was given a whole life order for kidnapping Ms Everard as she walked home through Clapham on 3 March 2021 and then murdering her.