Body found in woodland confirmed as Sarah Everard

The body found during the search for Sarah Everard has been confirmed by police as hers.

The 33-year-old marketing executive disappeared Wednesday 3 March while walking back from a friend’s house in Clapham to her home in Brixton.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave confirmed the body found in woodland near Ashford, Kent, was Ms Everard’s.

“As you know, on Wednesday evening detectives investigating the disappearance of Sarah Everard discovered a body secreted in woodland in Kent .

“The body has now been recovered and formal identification procedure has now been undertaken.”

Just two days ago Met Commissioner Cressida Dick told a news briefing on Wednesday: “This evening detectives and search teams investigating Sarah’s disappearance have found, very sadly, what appears to be human remains in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent.”

News broke recently that a serving Met police officer was being held in custody under the suspicion of kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard. Dick added that the arrest of one of her officers had “sent shockwaves and anger” and that the entire force was “utterly appalled at this dreadful news”.