Viewers of Sarah Everard documentary 'felt her fear' as final journey recounted
The BBC's Sarah Everard: The Search For Justice left viewers angry and also horrified by the details of her false 'arrest' by killer police officer.
What did you miss?
Viewers of Sarah Everard: The Search For Justice said they "felt her fear" as the documentary detailed her final car journey.
The BBC documentary examined the events surrounding Sarah Everard's kidnap and murder in March 2021 and included new public information. Viewers confessed they were angered to learn details about the circumstances of her kidnap and murder by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, but also "horrified" and "harrowed" to think about what she must have been thinking in the hours leading up to her death.
What, how, and why?
Marketing Executive Sarah Everard, 33, was walking home new Clapham Common, South London in March 2021 when she was stopped by police officer Couzens. He put her in his car and then drove her to Dover in Kent, where he raped and murdered her. The BBC documentary examined the events surrounding Everard's kidnap and murder.
Many viewers said they could imagine how Everard had been feeling during the drive from London to Kent.
One commented on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter: "That drive from London to Kent Sarah must have been absolutely terrified. I can’t even comprehend how she was feeling but I’m hoping that she know knows that justice has been served! Protect women. #saraheverard." Another wrote : "#saraheverard She was just walking home The documentary was heartbreaking. Every woman watching would have felt her fear when she was in that car. So many opportunities missed to stop that man."
A third shared: "My heart hurts. Just watched the documentary on Sarah Everard who was murdered by a met police officer in 2021. She was literally just walking home. I can’t imagine how terrified she must have felt. #saraheverard." Another posted: "She must have been so terrified, cannot even imagine. What an utter monster, the absolute worst of the worst. She was just walking home #SarahEverard."
One viewer confessed: "That’s what really got to me as well, imagining the point where she knew the “arrest” was a pretext. Just chilling. “Banter” has a lot to answer for. #saraheverard." And another said: "The last few hours of #saraheverard life don't bare thinking about! I just hope she is #RIP and that her family have found a way 2 find some peace and tranquility."
There was an overwhelming sense of disbelief and horror from viewers that Everard had been kidnapped while she was walking home.
One exclaimed: "This documentary is harrowing and heartbreaking. So many missed opportunities. The older I get the more I realise how much I’ve accepted as the norm throughout my life as a woman. She was just walking home #SarahEverard." Another commented: "The BBC doc is a hard watch. But I hope we never forget what she went through. Rest in peace dear #SarahEverard. She was just walking home."
And another tweeted: "Just finished the #SarahEverard documentary on BBC1. My heart is in bits for her family and friends. What a beautiful lady she was. Every single woman has the right to walk home safely! Shocking, just shocking. #RIPSarah."
What else happened on Sarah Everard: The Search For Justice?
The documentary featured new photos of Everard that were provided by her family to the BBC.
In one image, she is seen smiling at her graduation from Durham University in 2008, where she studied human geography. In another photo, Ms Everard is seen relaxing on a sunny day at Brockwell Lido, close to where she lived in Brixton Hill, south London. A third image shows a smiling Ms Everard holding a glass of rosé wine and a fourth depicts her looking into the distance while sitting at a table covered in flowers.
Sarah Everard: The Search For Justice is available to watch on
Read more: Sarah Everard documentary
Unseen photos of Sarah Everard released by her family for BBC documentary (Evening Standard, 4 min read)
Sarah Everard: The Search for Justice review – Necessarily frustrating viewing (The Independent, 3 min read)
Sarah Everard: BBC documentary recalls police learning killer was Met officer (BBC, 5 min read)