Sarah Everard

[ICTChris]

A big case in London ongoing at the moment is the disappearence of Sarah Everard, a 33 year old woman who hasn't been seen in a week after leaving a friends house to walk home in South London.  The last known sighting of Miss Everard is from a doorbell camera and it's unclear if she made it home.  The latest news is that a serving police officer, from the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Command Unit, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and an unrelated allegation of indecent exposure.  A 33 year old woman has also been arrested, on suspicion of assisting an offender.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-56351135

I've seen a lot of discussion about this case and the response to it.  Obviously, it's only an arrest and no-one has been convicted or even charged but the possibilty of a police officer being involved in a crime like this is particularly chilling.  I've also seen a lot of discussion about the fact that the victim seems to have been attacked late at night while walking home alone.  It's been claimed that police in Clapham and Brixton have warned women not to go out alone at night while this investigation is ongoing

  I've seen quite a few tweets from women saying that there are certain things they dont' do, like walking on their own at night, going for a long run on their own with headphones on etc and how it affects them.  Just off the top of my head there are numerous other killings very much like this - there was recently a conviction of a man who murdered a student in Hull on a night out, the case with the Irish nurse who was murdered in Glasgow a few years ago.  

What do P&Bers think about this type of case, maybe not this specific case?

What can be done to prevent these sorts of murders?

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by ICTChris

[ICTJohnboy]

Every news report I've heard on this case, has mentioned that the police have stressed that the officer helping with their enquiries was off duty when the woman disappeared.

I can't see how that's in any way relevant.

[Jacksgranda]

He's obviously got a day job protecting folk and then moonlights as a freelance murderer.

[Mark Connolly]

13 minutes ago, ICTJohnboy said:

Every news report I've heard on this case, has mentioned that the police have stressed that the officer helping with their enquiries was off duty when the woman disappeared.

I can't see how that's in any way relevant.

They would have found him quicker if he had been in his uniform?

[Priti priti priti Patel]

My girlfriend's been following this closely. She used to live in Clapham and jog on the common early in the morning, and one of her good friends lives a few streets away from where the girl went missing.

The case is tragic. She was on the phone to her fella while walking but hung up at some point before disappearing. I can't imagine being that guy. It's so tragic that I just automatically deflect, and the arrest of a guy whose main job is guarding diplomatic premises makes me imagine some kind of spy related subtext which I'm sure doesn't exist in real life.

On the point about women walking alone. My girlfriend mentioned this to me as well. I had a quick look at statistics for homicides in the UK. About 70% of homicide victims are male. I'm sure a vast majority of homicides involving sexual offending are female, and there will be a bias towards male victims of homicide generally if women are avoiding being out at night etc. But I wonder if it is definitely super dangerous for women to be out at night or if it's just perception.

There's no way to know, of course.

[Hedgecutter]

This would make for an interesting TV series.

A man with homicidal tendencies, living a double life. He works for the police department during the day and commits heinous crimes in his free time.  Would be even more dramatic if he was on the forensic team. 

[BFTD]

15 minutes ago, Margaret Thatcher said:

My girlfriend's been following this closely. She used to live in Clapham and jog on the common early in the morning, and one of her good friends lives a few streets away from where the girl went missing.

The case is tragic. She was on the phone to her fella while walking but hung up at some point before disappearing. I can't imagine being that guy. It's so tragic that I just automatically deflect, and the arrest of a guy whose main job is guarding diplomatic premises makes me imagine some kind of spy related subtext which I'm sure doesn't exist in real life.

On the point about women walking alone. My girlfriend mentioned this to me as well. I had a quick look at statistics for homicides in the UK. About 70% of homicide victims are male. I'm sure a vast majority of homicides involving sexual offending are female, and there will be a bias towards male victims of homicide generally if women are avoiding being out at night etc. But I wonder if it is definitely super dangerous for women to be out at night or if it's just perception.

There's no way to know, of course.

There was that thing on Twitter a while ago where all the lassies were tweeting all the things they'd do if men didn't exist. Things like going out at night alone, wearing both earphones, give up sleeping with a big knife under the pillow, etc.

Naturally, a percentage of the population decided to take it as a message that radical feminazis would like to initiate genocide against men.

[Jeff Venom]

My girlfriend's been following this closely. She used to live in Clapham and jog on the common early in the morning, and one of her good friends lives a few streets away from where the girl went missing.
The case is tragic. She was on the phone to her fella while walking but hung up at some point before disappearing. I can't imagine being that guy. It's so tragic that I just automatically deflect, and the arrest of a guy whose main job is guarding diplomatic premises makes me imagine some kind of spy related subtext which I'm sure doesn't exist in real life.
On the point about women walking alone. My girlfriend mentioned this to me as well. I had a quick look at statistics for homicides in the UK. About 70% of homicide victims are male. I'm sure a vast majority of homicides involving sexual offending are female, and there will be a bias towards male victims of homicide generally if women are avoiding being out at night etc. But I wonder if it is definitely super dangerous for women to be out at night or if it's just perception.
There's no way to know, of course.

Up until fairly recently I lived pretty much bang in the middle of her route home, by the common, for 5 years. Lived in a house share that always had females and males, and in all that time I've never heard of anything remotely like this.
I always thought people were reasonably sensible about going through the Common at night, but even around 9pm in "spring" I don't feel like that would be particularly dangerous if you took the notion.
Anyway, total swerve with this chat of an off-duty police officer involved.

[EH75]

50 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

What can be done to prevent these sorts of murders?

Nothing. Probably. There have always been mad b*****ds, and there will always be mad b*****ds.

I think the good thing now is that these people are a lot easier to catch. 40 years ago this guy might have gone on to kill a good few more women before he was caught (presuming they have the right guy here) but with the technology we have now with forensics, CCTV everywhere, mobile phone tracking etc there are so many more resources Police can use to track people down. The very high likelihood of being swiftly apprehended in itself is probably as much of a deterrent as you can give but like I say you will still get people who are compelled to do these sort of things.

[weirdcal]

This would make for an interesting TV series.
A man with homicidal tendencies, living a double life. He works for the police department during the day and commits heinous crimes in his free time.  Would be even more dramatic if he was on the forensic team. 

Sort of vehicle for a michael c Hall type actor maybe. Don't think he's done much since six feet under.

[Detournement]

41 minutes ago, ICTJohnboy said:

Every news report I've heard on this case, has mentioned that the police have stressed that the officer helping with their enquiries was off duty when the woman disappeared.

I can't see how that's in any way relevant.

They probably don't want people to think that he used his uniform or police vehicle as part of the abduction. 

Unrelated but there was a case last year where a man dressed as police officer with lights on his car assualted a couple in Strathclyde Park which doesn't seem to have led to any arrests. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/man-impersonating-police-officer-robs-21272688.amp

[Ludo*1]

There's an ongoing case in Dundee right now that I'm surprised not hit the national media yet.

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/troon-avenue-man-accused-of-double-murder-including-alleged-hammer-attack/

They've been digging up the floorboards and apparently garden as well hunting for the bodies.

Sorry for taking the thread off-beat but it's just madness.

[Jacksgranda]

15 minutes ago, weirdcal said:

41 minutes ago, Hedgecutter said:

This would make for an interesting TV series.
A man with homicidal tendencies, living a double life. He works for the police department during the day and commits heinous crimes in his free time.  Would be even more dramatic if he was on the forensic team. 

Sort of vehicle for a michael c Hall type actor maybe. Don't think he's done much since six feet under.

I doubt most of us would do much once we've been 6 feet under...

[KingRocketman II]

14 minutes ago, Detournement said:

They probably don't want people to think that he used his uniform or police vehicle as part of the abduction. 

Unrelated but there was a case last year where a man dressed as police officer with lights on his car assualted a couple in Strathclyde Park which doesn't seem to have led to any arrests. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/man-impersonating-police-officer-robs-21272688.amp

aye - offering assurance to the public that a police officer in uniform represents safety/law and order. 

More generally I am always slightly surprised how prominent the coverage is devoted to an attack/abduction of an individual . There is always a sensationalist element to it and such stories seems to engage the public and media a like. A man getting murdered/knifed/attacked in a housing estate barely gets coverage; a woman getting attacked perhaps murdered (hopefully not in this case) gets prominent endless coverage. 

This is not to diminish from the seriousness of this crime or to trivialise concern over the missing women. Am merely pointing out the inconsistency in the media's approach (and public appetite) to something like this. Is it because it could happen to anyone (ie this could happen to my wife/daughter/me) whereas a knifing in a scheme or by a teenager in London is more likely to affect the more marginalised? 

[Detournement]

I think in cares like these where there is time between the search/investigation beginning and the case being resolved it is perfect for a multi day media narrative.

If someone gets stabbed and is dead on the street then there's not much else to say.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Detournement

[RH33]

Is it not case of pretty white blonde woman gets more coverage? Sure there’s research suggest they get more coverage.

Both this and Dundee case are tragic losses of life. 
 

[Fratelli]

1 minute ago, KingRocketman II said:

aye - offering assurance to the public that a police officer in uniform represents safety/law and order. 

More generally I am always slightly surprised how prominent the coverage is devoted to an attack/abduction of an individual . There is always a sensationalist element to it and such stories seems to engage the public and media a like. A man getting murdered/knifed/attacked in a housing estate barely gets coverage; a woman getting attacked perhaps murdered (hopefully not in this case) gets prominent endless coverage. 

This is not to diminish from the seriousness of this crime or to trivialise concern over the missing women. Am merely pointing out the inconsistency in the media's approach (and public appetite) to something like this. Is it because it could happen to anyone (ie this could happen to my wife/daughter/me) whereas a knifing in a scheme or by a teenager in London is more likely to affect the more marginalised? 

The lassie is supposedly quite well known in London marketing/media circles amongst folk around her age which is why i think it got the initial traction it did - plus someone seemingly vanishing into think air whilst walking in a busy area, not even that late at night has probably made it stand out. Seen a few folk mentioning missing white woman syndrome too but i'm not clued up enough on that patter to make a judgement on whether it's at play here. 

It really is quite a chilling case this, the police element adds a whole different feel to it, there were rumours of a hit and run where he's chucked her in the back of his car afterwords but there's nothing confirming that just now. You'd have to think with him being a policeman he'll be fairly savvy in terms of what to and what not to say at this stage.

[Lofarl]

Think I’d me more worried about the murder charges than the one for getting my banger out.

[Nkomo-A-Gogo]

4 minutes ago, RH33 said:

Is it not case of pretty white blonde woman gets more coverage? Sure there’s research suggest they get more coverage.

Both this and Dundee case are tragic losses of life. 
 

madeliene mcann certainly got a lot more coverage than that wee munter matthews.

[ICTJohnboy]

7 minutes ago, Lofarl said:

Think I’d me more worried about the murder charges than the one for getting my banger out.

 

Depends what the murder weapon was.