Sarah Everard: PM says commissioner's comments 'wrong'

Sarah Everard, originally from York, was killed by serving police officer Wayne Couzens who falsely arrested her in order to abduct her

The prime minister has condemned comments made by a police and crime commissioner in the wake of Sarah Everard's murder.

North Yorkshire's PCC Philip Allott sparked fury when he said Ms Everard "never should have submitted" to arrest by her killer, PC Wayne Couzens.

Boris Johnson said his remarks were "completely wrong" and "totally the opposite" of what was needed.

Mr Allott has since apologised and said he wanted to retract the comments.

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Ms Everard was raped and murdered by Met Police officer Couzens in March and, at his sentencing on Thursday, it emerged he tricked her by falsely arresting her in order to abduct her.

Conservative Mr Allott told the BBC on Friday that Ms Everard should never have "submitted to that [arrest]".

"Women, first of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can't be arrested," he said.

"She should never have been arrested and submitted to that."

His comments prompted angry calls for his resignation on social media, and from a York MP and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Ms Everard's killer falsely arrested her for a coronavirus lockdown breach

On Saturday, Mr Johnson condemned Mr Allott's comments and said he was glad he had apologised, but did not call on him to resign.

"I think what [Mr Allott] had to say was completely wrong, and wrong-headed, and it is entirely right that he has apologised and retracted," he said.

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Mr Johnson said all women and girls should be able to walk the streets with "complete confidence".

"There is something now we need to tackle," he added.

"We're failing to prosecute and convict rapists fast enough."

He said delays happened at every stage, from victim's reporting to police to court proceedings.

In West Yorkshire there would be 1,000 more police on the streets with improved CCTV and street lighting, he said.

Sentences for serious violent sexual offenders will also be toughened.

Mr Johnson said hundreds of thousands of "wonderful" police officers up and down the country were "absolutely sickened" by what Couzens did.

The police watchdog has launched an investigation into its handling of indecent exposure reports linked to Couzens, and Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has also faced calls to resign.

Bishop of Ripon, Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, has also called on Mr Allott to resign, calling his role "untenable".

She said: "To make this comment which ends up blaming the victim, and bearing in mind the offender was a serving police officer, I think it completely undermines any confidence in Mr Allott."

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