The body of Sarah Everard was identified by her dental records after it was found in a large builder’s bag in Kent, a court has heard.

Serving Metropolitan Police constable Wayne Couzens, 48, is charged with kidnapping and murdering the 33-year-old marketing executive, who went missing while walking home from a friend’s flat in south London on March 3.

Her body was found hidden in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent, on Wednesday.

Couzens appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday morning for his first appearance following his arrest on Tuesday.

MORE: PC Wayne Couzens charged with murder

He wore a grey tracksuit and appeared to have a red wound on the top of his forehead.

Judge Goldspring remanded Couzens in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on March 16.

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The Metropolitan Police previously said Couzens joined the force in 2018, most recently serving in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, an armed unit responsible for guarding the Parliamentary estate and embassies in London.

His main job was a uniformed patrol of diplomatic buildings, and Scotland Yard said he was not on duty at the time of Ms Everard’s disappearance.

On Saturday, the court heard Couzens is a trained firearms officer.

On March 2 he began a 12-hour shift at 7pm before going on leave.
He was due back at work on March 8 but on March 5 he reported that he was suffering from stress.

On March 6 he emailed his supervisor to say he did not want to carry a firearm anymore.

Your Local Guardian: A police van arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court, in London, where serving police constable Wayne Couzens is to appear charged with murder and kidnapping related to the death of Sarah Everard. Picture date: Saturday March 13, 2021.A police van arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court, in London, where serving police constable Wayne Couzens is to appear charged with murder and kidnapping related to the death of Sarah Everard. Picture date: Saturday March 13, 2021.

Before his court appearance, Scotland Yard said that Couzens, of Deal in Kent, was taken to hospital for a second time in 48 hours on Friday for treatment to another head injury sustained in custody, before he was discharged and returned to a police station.

He was previously treated in hospital for a separate head wound on Thursday, also sustained in custody when he was alone in his cell.

MORE: Clapham commemorates the loss of Sarah Everard

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick visited search sites in Kent on Saturday to thank teams involved for their efforts.

Police in dry suits were seen continuing to search around the area where Ms Everard’s body was found near Ashford.

A vigil to mark Ms Everard's memory on Clapham Common this evening has been cancelled following discussions with the police. 

A doorstep vigil is set to replace the event at 9.30pm tonight.

See more here: virtual gathering to replace Clapham vigil