In 2013 when he was working as a firearms officer with the CNC, Couzens was reported missing for several hours.
The report said: “Couzens could have been driving around looking for a victim, in the same way as he did almost eight years later on the evening he abducted Sarah Everard and on other dates leading up to his crime.”
The report concluded that his unexplained disappearance should have been considered a warning sign when he was being vetted to join the Metropolitan Police.
In addition there were vetting failures when Couzens applied to join both the CNC and the Met.
He managed to mask his desperate financial state and the fact he was so in debt that he had entered an Individual Voluntary Arrangement in order to avoid bankruptcy, which would have prevented him joining the police.
The inquiry also heard evidence of Couzens sending indecent images of his genitalia to women who were selling female clothing online.
He was also a regular user of dating sites and made telephone calls to escorts, although there was no evidence he visited them.
There were also instances of self-harm, including Couzens deliberately drilling his finger resulting in him being signed off work for three weeks.
Before being accepted into the CNC, Couzens was a volunteer with the Kent Special Constabulary.
The report said: “Despite the favourable light in which Couzens was generally perceived by witnesses from Kent Special Constabulary and the absence of any suggestion that he behaved badly towards women while on duty, the inquiry concludes and is satisfied that, by the time Couzens resigned from the Kent Special Constabulary, he already had a history of abusive and potentially criminal sexual activity.”
‘Nothing to stop another Couzens operating in plain sight’
Presenting her findings, Dame Elish said: “The evidence seen by the inquiry has shown that failures in recruitment and vetting meant Couzens was able to continue a policing career which should have been denied to him.
“Failures investigations into allegations of indecent exposure meant opportunities to disrupt Couzens’ offending and bring his policing career to a halt were missed.
“The fact remains three separate police forces allowed him the privilege of being a police officer when they could and should have stopped him.”
Dame Elish has made 16 recommendations to bring about necessary changes in policing, saying that “without significant overhaul, there is nothing to stop another Wayne Couzens operating in plain sight”.
Responding to the report, Miss Everard’s parents, Sue and Jeremy, and siblings, Katie and James Everard, said in a statement: “It is obvious Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer. Whilst holding a position of trust in reality he was a serial sex offender.
“Warning signs were overlooked throughout his career and opportunities to confront him were missed.
“We believe Sarah died because he was a police officer – she would never have got into a stranger’s car.”
The family also called for all the recommendations to be made forthwith, adding: “We cannot get Sarah back, but positive changes give hope for the future and will be of benefit to others.”