A serving British police officer has admitted the rape and kidnap of Sarah Everard whose killing sparked anger and soul-searching about what police, government and society can do to stop male violence against women, the BBC reports.

Wayne Couzens, 48, a London officer whose role it was to guard diplomatic premises, also accepted responsibility for killing Everard but did not enter a plea while medical reports were being prepared, the BBC said on Tuesday, citing his lawyers.

Everard, 33, was abducted as she walked home from a friend’s house in south London on March 3.

Wayne Couzens admits kidnap and rape of Sarah Everard, whose body was found a week after she disappeared walking home in London in March https://t.co/Hugo7CEd4W

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 8, 2021

Her body was later found in woodland about 80 kilometres away in south-east England.

Her murder provoked outpourings of anger from women who have recounted their own experiences and fears of walking the streets on their own at night.