British policeman Wayne Couzens’ mother-in-law has complained about the “horror” directed at his family since the policeman was accused of kidnapping and murdering Sarah Everard.
Nina Sukhoreba told the mirror that his daughter, Elena, who has been married to the London diplomatic protection officer for 15 years, was forced to take down her social media because of the flood of hatred.
The messages included some calling the Couzenses “scum”, “bad parents” and hoping that the authorities “take their children away,” the newspaper said.
“I am very surprised at the behavior of the Western people,” Sukhoreba told the UK newspaper from his home in Ukraine.
“How can they write so much horror about my family?” she asked.
The interview did not mention that she addressed Everard, the 33-year-old marketing executive who was found dead after disappearing on March 3, while returning home one night in London.
Her daughter was also arrested last week on suspicion of helping a criminal. She was released on bail until next month and was not charged.
“Elena is really scared,” a friend of her mother’s told the UK newspaper. “She can’t believe what’s going on.”
Couzens was arrested last Tuesday and charged with kidnapping and murder. At a hearing on Tuesday, he was detained in custody until a plea hearing on July 9, with the provisional trial date set for October 25.
Everard, 33, disappeared on March 3, while returning home to Brixton, south London, after visiting friends at nearby Clapham. His body was discovered a week later in the forest in Ashford, Kent, about 50 miles away.
His death sparked mass anger in the UK, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired a special meeting Monday night to address British women’s security fears.
“Sarah Everard’s terrible case sparked a wave of feeling about women not feeling safe at night,” Johnson said. “We must do everything we can to ensure that our streets are safe.”