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Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has appeared in court charged with the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard.
The 48-year-old was brought before Westminster Magistrates Court in person on Saturday morning.
Ms Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive who lived in Brixton, South London, went missing while walking home from a friend’s flat on 3 March.
Her body was discovered in woodland, in Ashford, Kent, on Wednesday.
Couzens, of Deal, also Kent, was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on March 16. He did not indicate a plea.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said: “Mr Couzens, I am sending your case to the crown court sitting at the Central Criminal Court, what you might know as the Old Bailey.
“You will appear there for your first appearance on the 16th of March.
“I don’t have the power to consider the question of bail. That will be considered should you wish to make an application to the court on the 16th of March.
“You are therefore remanded in custody until that date, both charges having been sent to the crown court.”
The Metropolitan Police previously said the serving constable had joined the force in 2018, most recently serving in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, an armed unit responsible for guarding the Parliamentary estate and embassies in London.
His main job was uniformed patrol of diplomatic buildings and Scotland Yard said he was not on duty at the time of Ms Everard’s disappearance.
In related developments, a vigil planned to commemorate Ms Everard has been called off after discussions with the Metropolitan Police because of coronavirus regulations.
Organisers from Reclaim These Streets released an update on Saturday morning saying: “We are sorry to confirm that our Clapham vigil scheduled for tonight is cancelled.”
They added: “Instead, we are fundraising £320,000 for women’s causes: £10K for every proposed fine for the 32 vigils originally scheduled.”
An online event will instead be held, and organisers are encouraging people to light a candle in Everard’s memory.
Commander Catherine Roper, of the Metropolitan Police lead for community engagement, said the force took “no joy” in the cancellation of the vigil but insisted it was the “right thing to do”.
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