Sarah Everard: Dorset Police officer warned for 'gossiping' about trial

Wayne Couzens is serving a whole-life prison sentence for the murder of Sarah Everard

A police officer has been given a final written warning for "gossiping" about the Sarah Everard murder case.

Sgt Simon Kempton, of Dorset Police, was working with the Police Federation when he shared details he was given by a journalist about Wayne Couzens' defence on an online group chat.

Publication of the details was prohibited at the time, but journalists had the right to be present in court.

Sgt Kempton was found guilty at Dorset Police's headquarters of misconduct.

Met Police officer Couzens was sentenced to a whole-life term for the murder of Ms Everard, in a case that sparked national outrage.

The misconduct hearing was held at Dorset Police's headquarters in Winfrith

The panel was told the officer started one message to his colleagues on chat app Signal by saying "wait until you hear what his defence was".

Sgt Kempton went on to set out Couzens' false claims he had abducted Ms Everard and handed her over alive to a gang of eastern European men in order to pay off a debt.

Mark Ley-Morgan, presenting the case for Dorset Police, said the "tone and content" of the messages was "indicative of someone who was gossiping".

But Sgt Kempton said his messages had been "factual" and that he was just repeating what he had been told by the journalist.

'Complete disregard'

"It was conversational and I regret that in light of where I am sat, but it is conversational because this is a conversation," he added.

The panel found Sgt Kempton to have committed misconduct, namely by discreditable conduct and breaching standards on duties and responsibilities, authority, respect and courtesy.

Mr Kempton's final written warning will be valid for two years.

He was cleared of breaching standards of following orders and instructions, and of confidentiality.

Following the ruling, Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya said: "It is disappointing that a hearing had to find an officer guilty of misconduct, especially as it was in relation to an abhorrent crime, where the reputation of the police service nationally was already very much under scrutiny.

"Sgt Kempton's actions showed complete disregard to Sarah Everard and her family."