...By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
Former Officer’s Shock at Ongoing Case Responsibility
Former police constable Samantha Lee expressed shock when she returned to work after a few days off and realized she was still the officer in charge of the case involving Wayne Couzens.
Lee is accused of failing to conduct the necessary investigative inquiries into two incidents of flashing by Couzens at a McDonald’s restaurant in Swanley, Kent, on February 14 and 27, 2021.
The incidents involved Couzens exposing himself to female staff members by having his pants open and his penis on display.
Failure to Properly Investigate Flashing Incidents
Samantha Lee, on March 3, interviewed Sam Taylor, the manager of the McDonald’s branch where the incidents occurred, just hours before Couzens abducted and murdered Sarah Everard in Clapham.
Lee is alleged to have lied about her actions during the interview when questioned later.
She claimed to believe that the CCTV footage at the restaurant was automatically deleted, thereby lacking evidence of Couzens or the offenses.
Uncertainty and Rest Days
Following the visit to McDonald’s, Lee had a few days off to rest.
During this time, Couzens went on to kidnap and murder Sarah Everard before being arrested on March 9.
A meeting was arranged on March 12 between Lee, her commanding officer Inspector Rita Jones, and Chief Superintendent Robert Shepherd.
Surprise Revelation and Officer Responsibility
In a written response to allegations of breaching police standards, Lee stated that she received a call from Chief Superintendent Shepherd, informing her that she was still the officer in charge of the investigation into Couzens’ flashing offenses.
Lee expressed shock and disbelief that the case had not been transferred to the My Investigation Support Team (MiST).
She claimed that had she known it was still assigned to her, she would have taken the necessary steps to transfer it or consult a supervisor about the transfer.
Confidence in Transfer and Supervisor Oversight
During an interview with investigating officers in November 2021, Lee expressed confidence in having done what was necessary for the case to be transferred to the MiST team.
She believed that a supervisor should have checked her report before passing it on to MiST, as per standard procedure.
Wayne Couzens’ Sentencing and Misconduct Allegations
Wayne Couzens was previously sentenced to 19 months in prison for three counts of indecent exposure, including one incident unrelated to the McDonald’s flashing incidents.
Samantha Lee is now facing allegations of breaching the force’s standards on duties and responsibilities, as well as honesty and integrity.
If found guilty of gross misconduct, she may be prohibited from serving in the force again. Lee denies both allegations.
The misconduct hearing is expected to last for seven days at Palestra House in Southwark.
