Wayne Cousins, Sarah Everard’s killer, denied exposing herself indecently in the weeks before she was abducted.
The 49-year-old briefly appeared in court via video link Tuesday, pleading not guilty to four counts of exposing alleged blinking incidents four times in 2021 while a police officer
The four alleged incidents are said to have occurred in Swanley, Kent, between January 22 and February 1, between January 30 and February 6, and on February 14 and February 27.
Cousins appeared in Old Bailey via video link from Durham County Frankland Prison before Judge Mark Lucraft QC, who has not yet set a date for his trial on charges of indecent exposure.
Dressed in a gray sweatshirt, Cousins initially spoke to confirm his identity.
Lukraft has set a schedule for the case with additional hearings to be held in Old Bailey for three days from November 1.
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said: “In the absence of an appointed judge, it is currently not possible, even temporarily, to set a trial date given the circumstances.
Lukraft confirmed that as soon as a decision is made on who will handle the case, all parties will be informed and efforts will be made to set a date for the trial.
The case was sent to Old Bailey last month after a hearing in Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
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Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said the case was suitable for trial, but Cousins chose to have it heard in the Crown Court.
The former police officer is serving a life sentence for the abduction, rape and murder of Everard, which he abducted on March 3, 2021. He is a former garage mechanic who first joined the Civilian Nuclear Police before moving to the Metro in 2018.
During his arrest in March 2021, days after Everard’s disappearance, he served in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Defense Unit. He lived in Deal, Kent.
Everard’s remains were found in the woods near Ashford, Kent, about 20 miles west of Cousins’ home in Deal, a week after she disappeared. The audience showed that she died of neck compression.
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