Sarah Everard: Woman ‘was assaulted’ on same night near to where murder victim last seen

A woman claims she was attacked on the same night close to where Sarah Everard disappeared.

Sarah was last seen in Clapham, South London, before she went missing while walking home from a friend’s house on Wednesday, March 3.

Police have now confirmed that human remains found in woodland near Ashford, Kent, do belong to Sarah.

Now another woman, writing on the Evening Standard, says she was the victim of a sexual offence on the same evening not far from where the 33-year-old was last seen. There is no evidence the two events are linked.

She said: “Immediately after the assault on me, I was shocked, but sadly not surprised. Once through my front door, I stood in silence for a while, breathing deeply, digesting the event.

“A few days alter, posters of Sarah went up all over my local park.

“I saw the date of her disappearance and felt a creeping sickness in my stomach.

Serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has been arrested suspected of Sarah’s murder and kidnap.

The woman who says she was attacked on the same night Sarah went missing said she “knew” she had to tell the police what happened but was “scared” the man who had assaulted her was “watching from a distance”.

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She said: “I’m sure all woman have felt that fear. The fear that reporting a smaller crime would somehow put them in the path of a greater one.

“I called the police. Whether or not it was helpful in their investigations, or was linked to Sarah’s disappearance, I do not know.

“Indeed, as more details of Sarah’s disappearance came to light, more incidents were reported.

“Like me, some women had been victims of indecent exposure.

“Looking back, what makes me most angry, most upset, is that I wasn’t surprised by what happened to me.

“I had left the house to pick up groceries for dinner. Sarah Everard had left a friend’s.

“Both of us were threatened that evening. Only one of us made it home.”

The suspect in Sarah’s murder was linked to an indecent exposure in a south London fast food shop just three days before she went missing.

Now the Met Police faces a probe by the police watchdog on whether officers responded appropriately to the report of the alleged incident involving Couzens.

Sarah’s devastated family released a statement after the news human remains had been found in the search.

It read: “Our beautiful daughter Sarah was taken from us and we are appealing for any information that will help to solve this terrible crime.

“Sarah was bright and beautiful – a wonderful daughter and sister. She was kind and thoughtful, caring and dependable. She always put others first and had the most amazing sense of humour.

“She was strong and principled and a shining example to us all. We are very proud of her and she brought so much joy to our lives.”

If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 0845 30 30 900 or visit their website, www.victimsupport.org.uk.