'Critical failure': Report fails to answer key questions on women's safety

Key Concepts

Angelini Inquiry: An independent inquiry investigating issues related to police misconduct, information sharing, recruitment, vetting, transfers, and culture, particularly in the context of preventing crimes against women.
Wayne Cousins: A former police officer who abducted, raped, and murdered Sarah Everard. His case highlighted systemic failures within policing.
Sarah Everard: The victim of abduction, rape, and murder by Wayne Cousins, whose case spurred significant public outcry and calls for change.
Sexually Motivated Crimes: Crimes driven by sexual intent, including indecent exposure, abduction, rape, and murder.
Women's Safety in Public Spaces: The overarching concern addressed by the inquiry, focusing on women's ability to feel and be safe in public environments.
Missed Opportunities: Instances where authorities failed to act on information or evidence that could have prevented crimes or apprehended perpetrators sooner.
Whole Society Issue/Response: The recognition that preventing sexually motivated crimes requires a collective effort involving government, police, and the wider community.

Part Two of the Angelini Inquiry: Findings and Recommendations

Background and Mandate

The Home Secretary has presented the second report of the Angelini inquiry to Parliament. This inquiry, though independent of government, is overseen by the Home Secretary for publication. The first report, released in February 2024, focused on how off-duty police officer Wayne Cousins was able to commit the abduction, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard. The initial report concluded that Cousins should never have been a police officer and that opportunities to disrupt his offending and prevent his crimes were missed.

Scope of Part Two

Part two of the Angelini inquiry was initiated to address the risk of recurrence of such incidents across policing. This involved examining critical areas such as:

Police Misconduct: Failures in disciplinary processes and accountability.
Information Sharing: Inadequate communication and data exchange between police forces and other agencies.
Recruitment and Vetting: Weaknesses in the processes for selecting and screening potential police officers.
Transfers: Potential issues with moving officers with problematic histories between departments or forces.
Culture: The prevailing attitudes and behaviors within policing that might enable or overlook misconduct.

However, the inquiry recognized that focusing solely on policing was insufficient. The crimes committed by Wayne Cousins highlighted broader societal issues concerning women's safety in public spaces.

Broader Societal Concerns and the Impact on Women

Wayne Cousins was a repeat perpetrator of crimes against women. His ability to commit multiple indecent exposure offenses in public spaces without apprehension, before abducting Sarah Everard from a busy London street, underscored significant systemic failures. The report emphasizes the profound impact of these crimes on women, who often alter their daily lives and travel plans due to fear for their safety.

The inquiry highlights that despite increased attention on women's safety since Sarah Everard's death, many women still do not feel safe in public. The report states, "Women deserve to feel safer. They deserve to be safer. Making women safer should make everyone safer." This principle forms the core of the second report's focus.

Key Findings and Data Gaps

A significant concern identified in the report is the lack of concrete data regarding sexually motivated crimes against women in public spaces. The inquiry found that "No one was able to confidently tell me how many women nationally report being the victim of sexually motivated crimes in public spaces." This fundamental gap in knowledge hinders the ability to effectively assess the efficacy of current prevention measures.

Evidence Gathering and Cooperation

The inquiry gathered evidence from a wide range of sectors and organizations, acknowledging that sexually motivated crime in public spaces is a "whole society issue that requires a whole society response." The report expresses gratitude to all individuals and organizations that provided evidence and cooperated with the inquiry's work. Inspiring individuals dedicated to preventing these crimes, both within and beyond policing, were highlighted.

Recommendations and Call to Action

The second report presents 13 new recommendations directed at various government departments, police forces, and wider policing organizations. The inquiry urges leaders to demonstrate courage in implementing these recommendations, acknowledging that "Changing this situation will be difficult and challenging, but we have to rise to this challenge."

Impact on Victims and Families

The report consistently centers on the devastating impact of these crimes on victims and their families. The ongoing pain experienced by Sarah Everard's family is poignantly described, with her mother articulating her "unrelenting grief as a turmoil of emotions" and the "horror of Sarah's final hours is a constant torment." The inquiry acknowledges the privilege of meeting brave victims and family members of those murdered, often by perpetrators known to authorities. The report stresses that "Prevention is most effective when it confronts those who cause harm," yet too many opportunities to apprehend violent perpetrators are missed, leading to continued victimization and loss of life.

Conclusion and Takeaways

The second report of the Angelini inquiry builds upon the findings of the first, emphasizing that addressing sexually motivated crimes against women requires a comprehensive, society-wide approach. While some measures have been implemented since Sarah Everard's death, critical data gaps persist, and the fundamental issue of women's safety in public spaces remains a pressing concern. The report calls for courageous action and systemic change to prevent future tragedies and ensure that all individuals, particularly women, can feel and be safer.