Wayne Couzens deserves “decades in jail”, his barrister has told the Court of Appeal in the former police officer’s appeal against his whole-life prison sentence.

The former Pc was handed a whole-life term last year for the rape and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard after he abducted her in south London on March 3, 2021.

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 – and his lawyer told the Court of Appeals today that the term was 'excessive'.

Couzens, as a serving police officer, kidnapped Ms Everard, 33, in Clapham, South London, on March 3 last year.

He took her to the outskirts of Dover and raped and killed her and her burnt remains were found near Great Chart, Ashford.

Today, a bearded Couzens, wearing a grey jumper, appeared by video-link from HMP Frankland at the start of the hearing for his appeal against his whole-life term.

Couzens, now 49, formerly of Freemen's Way, Deal, was sentenced last September 30.

The judge that day, Lord Justice Fulford said the circumstances of the case were “devastating, tragic and wholly brutal” and were so exceptional that it warranted a whole-life order.

Members of Ms Everard’s family were present in the Royal Courts of Justice as his appeal was discussed.

Jim Sturman QC, for Couzens, said: “Mr Couzens accepts that his crimes are abhorrent and nothing I say in any way is intended to minimise them or to minimise the impact of these crimes on Sarah Everard’s family and huge circle of friends.”

He told the court that it was accepted that Couzens deserved “decades in jail” but argued a whole-life term was excessive.

Mr Sturman added: “The combination of his remorse and his guilty pleas… should balance out that aggravating factor which clearly exists, of him being a police officer, albeit off-duty in half uniform.”

KMTV speaks on the courts reviewing the sentence of former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens

This hearing is before the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Holroyde, Mr Justice Sweeney and Mr Justice Johnson.

They are expected to give their decisions at a later date.

The second murderer appealing against his whole life term is Ian Stewart, 61, previously of Royston, Hertfordshire.

He killed his wife in 2010 and then his fiancee in 2016.

Emma Tustin, now 32, and Thomas Hughes, 29, who killed six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, are also expected to have their sentences reviewed but on the question of whether they were unduly lenient.

The boy died in Solihull, West Midlands in 2019.

Tustin, his stepmother, previously of Cranmore Road, Solihull, was jailed for life, a minimum 29 years, for murder.

Hughes was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter and is also appealing against his sentence.

Also having his sentence reviewed, is Jordan Monaghan who got a minimum 40-year term,

He murdered two of his children, a baby and toddler in 2013, and his new partner in 2019, all in Blackburn.

Monaghan, 30, previously of Belgrave Close, Blackburn, is having his sentence challenged by the Attorney General’s Office as being unduly lenient.