'Utterly appalled': Tragic find as cop arrested over disappearance
Possible human remains believed to be those of missing woman Sarah Everard have been discovered in woodland, British authorities have revealed.
Ms Everard, 33, disappeared on the evening of March 3 while walking home from a friend's house to her Brixton apartment in south London, with a widespread police investigation into her disappearance gripping the nation.
"This evening detectives and search teams investigating Sarah’s disappearance have very sadly discovered what we believe at this stage to be human remains," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick told reporters.
The remains were found in woodland in Ashford, about 85km east of Ms Everard's London home.
The discovery comes after Met Police confirmed one of their own officers, aged in his 40s, had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
"I speak on behalf of all my colleagues in the Met when I say we are utterly appalled at this dreadful news. Our job is to patrol the streets and to protect people," Commissioner Dick said.
She said his arrest has "sent waves of shock and anger through the public and through the whole of the Met".
The suspect has been named and pictured by British media as Wayne Couzens.
He was arrested at his home in the coastal town of Deal, 48km from Ashford.
Arrested cop had patrolled at Downing Street
Couzens was responsible for uniformed patrolling of diplomatic premises, The Met Police said in a statement. Locations he patrolled included Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster, the BBC reported.
He was not on duty at the time of Ms Everard's disappearance.
'Be human and let her come home': Sarah Everard's uncle makes desperate plea
Police officer arrested 'not on duty' when she went missing in Clapham
He was initially arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of kidnapping.
A woman in her 30s has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Authorities and family said her disappearance was "totally out of character".
Fear for women on streets of London
Her disappearance sparked a large scale search from authorities across southern England, where more than 750 addresses were visited.
"Sarah's disappearance in these awful and wicked circumstances is every family's worst nightmare," Commissioner Dick said.
"I know Londoners will want to know that it is thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets.
"But I completely understand that despite this, women in London and the wider public — particularly those in the area where Sarah went missing — will be worried and may well be feeling scared."
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