Sarah Everard murder: 'I'm so sorry' - Cressida Dick says the 'precious bond of trust with police has been damaged'

Dame Cressida Dick said she is "so sorry" to the family of Sarah Everard as she admitted the "precious bond of trust" with police had been damaged. Dame Cressida is facing mounting pressure to resign, but the Home Secretary Priti Patel said they would "continue working" together, but that "serious questions" needed to be answered. Jim Sturman QC, defending, said this was "the murder of two or more persons, where each murder involves one of the following": A substantial degree of premeditation or planning The abduction of the victim Or sexual or sadistic conduct The murder of a child if involving the abduction of the child or sexual or sadistic motivation The murder of a police officer or prison officer in the course of his or her duty, where the offence was committed on or after April 13, 2015 A murder done for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause A murder by an offender previously convicted of murder But Lord Justice Fulford told the Old Bailey that even though Couzens did not fit into these categories, his crimes were just as serious. Effectively creating a new category in court, the judge said: "In my judgment, 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 carried out for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.