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A Metropolitan Police officer pleaded guilty to murdering Sarah Everard, a London marketing executive who disappeared while walking home earlier this year, which prompted numerous others to share their own experiences of sexual assault and harassment on social media.
Wayne Couzens, 48, whose "primary role was uniformed patrol duties of diplomatic premises" while serving as a police constable, admitted to a charge of murder at the Old Bailey court on Friday (July 9), according to a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service obtained by CNN.
Couzens had previously pleaded guilty to Everard's kidnapping and rape last month.
The former police officer is scheduled to appear at a sentence hearing on September 29.
Everard, 33, was reported missing on March 3 after leaving a friend's house in Clapham, south London, earlier in the evening.
Her body was located inside a builder's bag on March 10 in woodland near Ashford, Kent, which is more than 50 miles away from the last place she was seen alive seven days prior.
Couzens was arrested on a suspicion of kidnap charge one day prior to Everard's body being discovered and later arrested on suspicion of murder.
Five of Everard's relatives were present in the London courtroom as Cousins appeared via video link from Belmarsh high security prison during his confession, PA News reports via CNN.
Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick was also present during Couzens' plea and said the force was sickened by "truly dreadful crimes" committed by the former officer.
Prosecutor Tom Little told the court Everard and Couzens "were total strangers to each other" and hadn't previously met before Couzens abducted Everard from the roadside.
"His pleas today represents a truly guilty plea and remorse for what he did and, as he put it to us this morning, he will bear the burden for the rest of his life - his words: 'as I deserve,'" Couzens' lawyer Jim Sturman said, according to PA via CNN.
CPS specialist prosecutor Carolyn Oakley said Couzens' motivation for the incident has still not yet been revealed.
"Couzens lied to the police when he was arrested and to date, he has refused to comment. We still do not know what drove him to commit this appalling crime against a stranger," Oakley said. "Today is not the day for hearing the facts about what happened to Sarah. Today is a day to remember Sarah and our thoughts remain with her family and friends."