The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
"The details that have come out over the last few days have been utterly harrowing, leaving a nation in shock. Sarah Everard simply set out to walk home. Tragically she never made it back. A life with so much more to give callously cut short under the worst possible circumstances.
“All my thoughts today are with Sarah’s parents, her siblings, her loved ones and everyone who knew her. They have had to endure the most appalling experience imaginable.
“The sentence that has been handed down today is the right one – Wayne Couzens should spend the rest of his life in prison. But no sentence could ever make up for the terrible loss felt by Sarah’s loved ones.
“The fact this heinous crime was committed by a serving police officer makes it even more disturbing. There are some serious questions that need to be answered about how we ensure something like this never happens again, and I’m determined that the lessons are not only learned by the police, but acted upon.
“As Mayor, I will continue to do everything within my power to ensure that women and girls feel safe and are safe in London.”
ENDS