Jeff Pope’s latest BBC factual drama is about the tragic death of Sarah Everard, who was killed by a serving policeman in London in 2021.
The as-yet-untitled series will examine the circumstances that allowed a sexual offender to become, and remain, a Metropolitan Police officer. It will explore how, over many years and across his career in different police forces, significant evidence of sexual offending was repeatedly dismissed and poor vetting and a lack of training and motivation meant vital evidence against him was never collected.
Everard was murdered in March 2021 by Wayne Couzens, a serving police officer, who has since been sentenced to life imprisonment for her murder. Everard’s death, which came in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, caused nationwide protests.
Factual drama aficionado Pope has tackled topics in the past including Jean Charles de Menezes, Jimmy Savile and The Moors Murderers. His Etta Pictures label is producing the Everard drama.
Pope said: “Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer, but opportunities to deny him that privilege were missed. That he was still a serving officer on the night of March 3rd 2021, after committing numerous sexual offences over a long period of time, was a tragedy waiting to happen, and the key question asked by this drama.”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, added: “Drama has a unique ability to sensitively and respectfully tackle real life subjects and this series will explore the impact of this horrific crime, the misogyny and failings from within the Met Police and what lessons can be learnt. Award-winning writer Jeff Pope will treat this with the utmost care, helping to ensure that the issues that led to Sarah Everard’s murder remain in the public consciousness for years to come, whilst continuing to hold the police to account.”
EPs are Pope, Saurabh Kakkar and Kirsty Cunningham for Etta Pictures and Nick Lambon for the BBC. Salt is commissioner.
