THE police officer who kidnapped, raped and killed Sarah Everard has launched an appeal against his whole-life sentence. 

Wayne Couzens was handed a whole-life tariff in September for the murder of the 33-year-old marketing executive in March. 

The judge said that the rare sentence was warranted due to Couzens having abused his position as a serving Metropolitan Police officer in order to falsely arrest Ms Everard.  

The Court of Appeal confirmed today that the former officer has launched an appeal to reduce his sentence. 

Passing sentence at the Old Bailey in September, Lord Justice Fulford said: “The misuse of a police officer’s role such as occurred in this case in order to kidnap, rape and murder a lone victim is of equal seriousness as a murder for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.”

It was the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.

After the sentencing, Ms Everard’s family said that, while nothing could bring her back, knowing Couzens “will be imprisoned forever brings some relief.”