Sarah Everard: Body found in woodland confirmed as that of missing woman

image copyrightFamily handout

image captionSarah Everard has been described by her family as "kind, thoughtful, caring and dependable"

A body that was found during the search for Sarah Everard has been confirmed by police as hers.

The 33-year-old marketing executive disappeared as she walked home in south London last week.

A serving Met officer remains in custody having been held on suspicion of Ms Everard's kidnap and murder.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave confirmed the body found in woodland near Ashford, Kent, was Ms Everard's.

Mr Ephgrave said: "As you know, on Wednesday evening detectives investigating the disappearance of Sarah Everard discovered a body secreted in woodland in Kent.

"The body has now been recovered and formal identification procedure has now been undertaken."

media captionAssistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said thoughts and prayers were with Sarah's family

Ms Everard was last seen on 3 March walking alone down a main road in Clapham at 21:30 GMT, with police saying it was unclear whether she reached her home in Brixton.

Mr Ephgrave added: "Specialist officers remain in constant contact with Sarah's family, and will continue to support them throughout the investigation and beyond.

"That investigation continues at a pace and we have hundreds of officers working round the clock to establish the full circumstances of Sarah's disappearance, and her murder."

image copyrightPA Media

image captionForensics officers have been searching a home in Deal, Kent

image copyrightPA Media

image captionFlowers have been laid at the site near where Ms Everard's body was found

Throughout the week, searches have been carried out in Clapham, where Ms Everard was last seen, as well as at a home in Deal and the woodland in Ashford.

On Tuesday, the Met officer was arrested in Kent on suspicion of Ms Everard's kidnap and was later rearrested on suspicion of her murder.

The man, who is in his 40s and works with the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, was taken to hospital on Thursday suffering from head injuries he sustained while alone in his cell.

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He was treated, discharged and returned to the police station where he is being held, after an application to extend his detention was granted at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court. A woman, in her 30s, who was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, has been released on bail until mid-April.

The Met is facing an investigation by the police watchdog into its handling of a separate allegation of indecent exposure against the arrested officer.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is to look at whether officers "responded appropriately" after receiving a report that a man had exposed himself at a fast food restaurant in south London on February 28 - three days before Ms Everard went missing.

The Met is facing a High Court challenge after organisers of a vigil in response to the disappearance of Ms Everard took action, claiming police reversed a decision to allow the gathering to go ahead.

media captionVigil organiser Anna Birley: "There's something we need to be angry about and stand up for as women"

Organisers said there had been an "about-face" by the Met and they were told Saturday's Reclaim These Streets event in Clapham would not be permitted due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The group is at the High Court challenging the force's interpretation of Covid-19 restrictions.

In a statement on Thursday evening, Ms Everard's family paid tribute to her as a "kind, thoughtful, caring and dependable" person.

They added: "She always put others first and had the most amazing sense of humour."

"She was strong and principled and a shining example to us all. We are very proud of her and she brought so much joy to our lives."

Disappearance timeline:

• 3 March: Sarah Everard vanishes after leaving a friend's house on Leathwaite Road, Battersea, about 21:00 GMT
• 5 March: Met Police are "increasingly concerned" for Ms Everard and make an appeal on Twitter
• 6 March: Ms Everard's family say her disappearance is "totally out of character" as officers search Clapham Common's ponds
• 7 March: Footage taken from a doorbell camera shows Ms Everard walking alone along the A205 Poynder Road towards Tulse Hill at 21:30. Police say it is unclear whether or not she reached her house in Brixton
• 8 March: More than 120 calls are made from the public on the case and more than 750 homes are visited as part of the investigation
• 9 March: A serving officer is arrested in Kent along with a woman who is held on suspicion of assisting an offender
• 10 March: Met Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave describes the arrest as "shocking and deeply disturbing". Extensive searches are carried out in parts of Kent. Later in the evening Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said human remains have been found in a woodland in Kent
• 11 March: Suspect taken to hospital after suffering head injuries while in custody. The woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender is released on bail
• 12 March: Body found in Kent woodland confirmed to be Ms Everard's