People who live in areas prone to flooding are being warned to take precautions as milder temperatures are expected in the coming days.

The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has issued a watershed conditions statement that says there is a risk of flooding and ice jams in some areas over the next week.

The statement covers the whole of the watershed, which stretches up to Dundalk in the north down to Lake Erie and includes all of Waterloo region, Guelph and Wellington County.

The Environment and Climate Change forecast shows Waterloo region is expecting temperatures to rise above freezing starting on Saturday and into next week with some possibility for freezing drizzle, flurries and rain.

Sunday is expected to hit a high of 3 C in Kitchener, and Monday will be even warmer with a high expected of 5 C.

“These weather conditions are expected to result in increased river flows throughout the watershed and weakening or breaking up of river ice,” the conservation authority said in the statement Friday.

“There is still uncertainty in both the timing and extent of the warm weather and precipitation, and how much precipitation will fall as rain or snow.”

Snowpack is “higher than normal” across the watershed and while that will help absorb some rain, there will be some snow that melts.

“The risk of flooding increases if rainfall accompanies a rapid snowmelt event,” the authority said.

Ice jams possible

Ice conditions on local waterways are “less significant than they were in 2018 and 2019” when massive chunks of ice clogged the Grand River and there was flooding near Orangeville and Brantford but the authority noted most rivers right now are ice covered and ice jams could form.

WATCH | 2018 footage of flooding in Brantford:

Flooding after an ice jam on the Grand River in Brantford

Drone video footage shot by Jared Houliston shows rushing water meeting an ice jam on the Grand River in Brantford, Ont.

“As ice moves through the rivers, there is the risk of ice-jams in slow-moving reaches of watercourses, which may lead to localized flooding, particularly in areas that are prone to ice jams. Ice jams can form quickly and lead to sudden increases in water levels and flooding,” the statement said.

The GRCA also noted Lake Erie is mostly ice covered, which increases the risk of ice jams at the mouth of the Grand River.

Environment Canada notes on its website that ice coverage on the Great Lakes is above average this year and Lake Erie has more than 95 per cent ice coverage, the most since 2015. The last time Lake Erie reached 100 per cent ice coverage was in 1996.

The weather agency also noted ice coverage on the Great Lakes usually peaks in mid to late February.

Stay safe near water

With warmer weather and some sunshine expected over the long weekend, people are being warned to take precautions near water.

“Banks adjacent to rivers and creeks are very slippery and, when combined with cold, fast-moving water, pose a serious hazard. Ice cover will be weakened and eroded due to thawing conditions and fluctuating water levels. Ice-covered waterbodies should always be considered unsafe,” the statement said.

Children and pets should be kept away from the edges of water and recreational users “should be aware of the current conditions and exercise additional caution.”

A northwestern Manitoba First Nation says it’s been forced to arrange private financing and buy an $8-million emergency backup generator system after being ignored by the federal and provincial governments for six months.

The community, also known as Pukatawagan, was one of many to be evacuated in May 2025 after a provincewide state of emergency was issued due to wildfires.

“We’ve come to this point here, after all our efforts we put together to find a solution for what we went through. We went through a terrible time,” Mathias Colomb Cree Nation Chief Gordie Bear said at a news conference in Winnipeg on Friday.

Residents of the First Nation, about 700 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, were evacuated to Brandon and The Pas, and as far as Niagara Falls, Ont., during the wildfires.

Although the mandatory evacuation was lifted in August, some 2,200 residents couldn’t return home due to a lack of power.

Fires damaged transmission lines throughout the province, but Mathias Colomb had one of the longest evacuations that summer, lasting nearly four months.

The return of residents could have been fast-tracked if Manitoba Hydro had provided temporary generators, as had been done during the 2022 wildfire season, Bear said.

“We tried negotiating with the governments. We tried pleading with them,” he said at Friday’s news conference, held at the offices of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

“On our last efforts, we set forth that we were going to acquire these [generators] with or without the help of government. We have to look after ourselves.”

During a meeting with the Manitoba Public Utilities Board in December, Bear said the message was “never again will our basic energy security and public safety be at the mercy of Manitoba Hydro’s lack of response.”

The system purchased by Mathias Colomb includes four semi-trailer-sized generators to provide emergency power during future wildfires or other emergency evacuations, a Friday news release states.

Bear said in the news release that Hydro, along with the provincial and federal governments, took “no responsibility for ensuring basic energy security,” and federal and provincial ministers “abandoned us” during the summer evacuation.

Mathias Colomb found the solution and took the steps itself, Bear said.

The First Nation is now calling on the province to order Manitoba Hydro to connect its emergency backup generators to the distribution system in Pukatawagan immediately so the generators will be ready “for the next power outage, which is a matter of when, not if,” the news release says.

CBC News has reached out to Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala, who is responsible for Manitoba Hydro, and Indigenous Services Canada for comment.

Evacuation took emotional toll

The extended evacuation was difficult for elders with mobility and health issues, and for youth who were exposed to things they weren’t accustomed to in their remote community, said Bear.

“We took all that home with us. We’re going through hard times of what we encountered,” he said.

“Our life has changed, and so now we have to find medicine for our young ones, our children, who [are] in trouble with the street level that we encountered.

“We’re not leaving Puk again, nor [does] anybody want to leave their homelands again through evacuation of wildfires, power outages, any of that. We don’t.”

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee said 11 evacuees from Mathias Colomb died before community members could return.

“A lot of people don’t know the emotional toll that it takes on people.… You have to deal with the aftermath of being displaced for such a long period of time,” he said.

“This should not happen again. They have a solution. But the problem is the federal and provincial governments cannot sit down together to agree to a way that they can be [supported].”

Settee said MKO, an advocacy organization that represents northern Manitoba First Nations, stands with Mathias Colomb to “wake up” the governments, and urge them to pay for and hook up the generator system.

Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly Manitoba Chiefs echoed those comments.

“We’re here to talk about a solution that was provided to the different levels of government when it comes to a community that was needing support during a time of crisis, and they did not receive a response,” she said at Friday’s news conference.

“I’m so happy to hear that the leadership did what they needed to do to keep their community safe,” said Wilson.

“But the federal and provincial government have an obligation and a duty to respond to the community. And we’re not going to stop talking and speaking and bringing forward this issue until [they] respond appropriately.”

The Trump Administration is rapidly implementing President Trump’s vision to reopen and develop Venezuela’s oil industry for the shared benefit of the American and Venezuelan people. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the United States has already issued several general licenses at record speed for oil and gas companies to make unprecedented investments in Venezuela’s energy infrastructure. 

On January 29, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela General License (GL) 46, which authorizes firms incorporated in the United States to market Venezuelan oil to buyers around the world, and largely in the United States. Payment must be made on commercially reasonable terms – in contrast to the heavily discounted prices for which the corrupt Maduro regime sold oil – and must be paid into an account in the United States established and with oversight by the Departments of State and Treasury. We will assure these funds are spent transparently and for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.

• On February 3, OFAC issued Venezuela GL 47, which authorizes firms to sell U.S.-origin diluent – a product essential for oil production – to Venezuela. This action provides significant benefit both to the Venezuelan people and to the U.S. economy.

• On February 10, OFAC issued Venezuela GL 48, which authorizes U.S. firms to provide goods, equipment, and services for the Venezuelan oil and gas industry. By utilizing this GL, U.S. firms will play a critical role in repairing and upgrading Venezuela’s oil and gas infrastructure for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.

• On February 13, OFAC issued Venezuela GL 50, which authorizes certain firms in Venezuela to expand their operations, including pursing additional upstream oil and gas projects. On February 13, OFAC issued Venezuela GL 49, which authorizes oil and gas firms to negotiate and enter into contingent contracts with Venezuela to invest in upstream oil and gas projects. The Trump Administration will subsequently review for approval the proposed contracts to ensure they advance the interests of the American and Venezuelan people. These investments will lay the foundation for the modernization of the Venezuelan oil and gas industry, increase production, and shore up U.S. supply lines in our own hemisphere. 

Venezuela holds tremendous economic potential, but years of instability, corruption, and economic mismanagement have limited the nation’s growth and prosperity. These general licenses invite American and other aligned companies to play a constructive role in supporting economic recovery and responsible investment. Additional authorizations may also be issued as necessary in furtherance of President Trump’s vision. The United States is committed to restoring Venezuela’s prosperity, safety, and security for the benefit of both the American and Venezuelan people. With renewed cooperation and sound economic stewardship, Venezuela can reemerge as a stable, prosperous partner whose citizens benefit from its vast natural wealth and strengthened ties with the United States.

Vaping in cars carrying anyone under 18 will be banned in England under government plans to reduce the harm caused by smoking and e-cigarettes.

The move is included in the tobacco and vapes bill, which will also outlaw smoking, vaping and using heated tobacco in playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals.

Smoking in cars containing children and young people up to the age of 18 has been illegal in England since 2015. The new legislation will extend that prohibition to the use of vapes and heated tobacco.

“No child in a playground or hospital patient should suffer because someone else chooses to smoke,” said Wes Streeting, the health secretary.

“Secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer and we want to protect children and the sick from harm.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said that the measures it is proposing are needed to protect health given the growing evidence about the dangers of heated tobacco and vaping.

It said: “Evidence is emerging that emissions from heated tobacco and secondhand vapour from vapes pose health risks. At the same time, youth vaping has risen sharply in recent years, raising concerns about nicotine addiction and long-term health effects.”

The bill does not include a ban on smoking outside pubs. It also exempts smoking or vaping in care homes, hospices, mental health hospitals and residential schools.

The measures are subject to the outcome of a public consultation, which launched on Friday and will run for 12 weeks until 8 May.

The health campaign charity Action on Smoking and Health said ministers were right to explore the possibility of outlawing vaping in cars carrying under-18s.

Caroline Cerny, ASH’s deputy chief executive, said: “This consultation, and the wider legislation it is part of, is focused on protecting children. Although exposure to secondhand vapour is significantly less harmful than secondhand smoke, it is reasonable to consider whether steps should be taken to minimise any potential risk – particularly in small, enclosed spaces such as cars where children are present.

“A balance needs to be struck in these regulations between protecting children and ensuring adults who smoke are still supported to switch to vapes. The consultation process should help the government strike that balance.”

Prof Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said: “People who do not smoke but who are exposed to secondhand smoke can suffer significant harmful effects on their health, including an increased risk of asthma, poor birth outcomes, several cancers, stroke and heart disease.”

Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães, who went along with former IRS agent Brendan Banfield in a northern Virginia double murder plot, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with two years of probation.  

On Friday morning, Fairfax County Judge Penney Azcarate decided to give the 25-year-old the maximum sentence, which was up to 10 years on a manslaughter charge for which she pleaded guilty in 2024.

“Your actions were deliberate, self-serving, and demonstrated a profound disregard for human life,” Azcarate said in delivering her ruling. “So, let’s get straight: You do not deserve anything other than incarceration and a life of reflection on what you have done to the victim and this family.”

A new “20/20” episode about the case, “The Au Pair, The Affair and Murder” is scheduled to air Friday, Feb. 20, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. 

Magalhães and Banfield were separately arrested over their roles in the Feb. 24, 2023, murders of Joseph Ryan and Banfield’s wife, Christine Banfield, which were committed inside the Banfield home.

Early in the investigation, detectives discovered evidence suggesting that Banfield and Magalhães were having an affair — and that they had plotted to kill his 37-year-old wife.  

Part of that plot, according to prosecutors and Magalhães’ testimony, involved covertly creating a profile for, and thus masquerading as, Christine on a social media site for sexual fetishes.

Ryan, 39, took the bait in what prosecutors called the “catfishing” scheme. Ryan communicated back and forth with the profile account that was allegedly posing as Christine, as they together crafted a rape fantasy scenario using a knife, chains and rope.  

“I have caused pain that cannot be measured. I pray for forgiveness from the Benson family, and from the Joseph Ryan family,” Magalhães said during Friday’s sentencing hearing.

“There is nothing I could possibly do to make it up to you, for your loss. There are so many regrets, this is my biggest. It’s a tragedy I have been carrying with me, and I know I can never take back the devastation of what I have done,” she added.

Saying she lost herself in the relationship with Banfield, Magalhães said she has changed in jail over the past three years.

At the time, Magalhães and Banfield told police they came home to find Ryan — a stranger to them — stabbing Christine Banfield to death. Banfield and Magalhães each fired a shot, killing Ryan, they said both in their 911 call and to responding officers at the scene.  

In October 2023, Magalhães was charged with the second-degree murder of Ryan, as she had admitted to firing the second, fatal shot.  

One year later, Magalhães took a plea deal with prosecutors, turning on Banfield in exchange for a lesser charge of manslaughter. Prosecutors also promised to recommend to the judge upon sentencing that Magalhães only get time served.  

With that agreement, Magalhães sat for nearly four hours of interviews with prosecutors, largely confirming the theory detectives had developed about their scheme.  

Magalhães also took the stand in the trial against Banfield in January, as he maintained his innocence. During his three-week-long trial, Banfield even took the stand, testifying in his own defense.  

After two days — nearly nine hours total — of deliberations in the trial, the jury reached a verdict on Feb. 2. The jury found Banfield guilty on all four counts, which included two counts of aggravated murder, one count of child endangerment, and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.   

Family and friends of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan filled the courtroom Friday morning for Magalhães’ sentencing.  

Joining remotely online from Florida, Ryan’s mother, Deirdre Fisher, delivered her victim impact statement. She said her son was born two days before Christmas, making it a special holiday for them. Since Ryan’s murder, she has not been able to take down her Christmas tree, which sits behind the urn holding her son’s ashes.  

“I say good morning to him each day when I turn on the tree’s lights, and I tell him I love him each night when I turn off the lights,” Fisher told the court. 

Fisher said she has missed so many milestones now, including the chance to be a grandmother. There have been many times, Fisher said, when she’s reached for the phone to call her son, only to remember that he can’t and won’t answer.  

Ryan’s aunt, Sangeeta Ryan, delivered her impact statement from the courtroom, pausing periodically between sobs.

“He was fun-loving and loved from the beginning. He was inquisitive, curious, smart, charming, and so dang talkative,” she said.

Ryan’s aunt described her nephew’s love for animals and the environment, noting that he often rescued and adopted dogs.

Sangeeta Ryan, added that he also was a dedicated member of their family, especially in taking care of his grandmother, who, she said, sold her home in wake of Ryan’s murder to “dodge memories, grief, and reporters.”

Acknowledging that Magalhães did eventually come forward with the truth, Sangeeta Ryan said that this still was not an act of heroism on Magalhães’ part.

“This could have been a very different ending where Juliana saved two lives,” she said, suggesting that could have been the case if Magalhães had not gone along with Banfield’s plot.

As Magalhães was charged only in Ryan’s murder, Judge Azcarate ruled that prosecutors could not include victim impact statements that Christine Banfield’s family members had prepared.

The death penalty was abolished in Virginia in 2021, meaning that, following his conviction, Banfield is facing life in prison without parole.  

His sentencing hearing is set for May 8. 

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has spent one year leading the intelligence community under President Donald Trump, declassifying documents, securing the border, and ensuring election integrity.

“One year ago, I raised my right hand and took the oath to serve as Director of National Intelligence. I am honored and grateful for the responsibility and trust placed in me by @POTUS and the American people,” Gabbard wrote. 

The Senate confirmed Gabbard, the former congresswoman and veteran, to lead the country’s intelligence community on February 12, 2025. Once confirmed, she immediately traveled to lead the Munich Security Conference last year.

She said at the conference that Trump promises to be a “peacemaker and unifier.”

In March, Gabbard:

• Visited the southern border alongside Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, highlighting the National Counter Terrorism Center’s (NCTC) work to secure the border and help facilitate removals
• Revoked the security clearances of more than 100 intelligence officials involved in improper communications. This includes former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), anti-Trump Rep. Adam Kinzinger, and many more.
• Rescinded the security clearances of the 51 signers of the Hunter Biden “disinformation” letter and other former officials
• Declassified the tranche of JFK assassination records
• Slashed DEI offices, unnecessary conferences, and excess program licenses, saving roughly $30 million

In April, Director Gabbard:

• Declassified the next tranche of JFK assassination documents
• Launched the Director’s Initiative Group (DIG), a temporary task force dedicated to reform and accountability
• Declassified the Biden administration’s Strategic Implementation Plan for Countering Domestic Terrorism, which has been described by critics as pushing for a secret domestic surveillance and censorship strategy

In May, Gabbard:

• Scrapped remaining DEI initiatives
• Released more than 60,000 documents related to the RFK assassination
• Removed politicized leadership at the National Intelligence Council

In July, the director of National Intelligence:

• Released MLK Jr. files as part of her continued declassified and government transparency efforts
• Launched ODNI 2.0, cutting the workforce by 40 percent and eliminating politicized offices
• Revoked 37 more security clearances, including those tied to the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment involving alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election

In August, Gabbard and Vice President Vance worked with the United Kingdom to have the British government drop its demand that Apple provide Americans’ encrypted data.

In September, Gabbard spoke at the memorial for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, saying that “everyone needs to be a warrior like Charlie” to carry on his legacy.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 21: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard speaks during the memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on September 10th while speaking at an event during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

In October, Gabbard:

• and the NCTC provided actionable intelligence to U.S. and Mexican law enforcement to successfully capture a boss of the Sinoloa Cartel Plaza known as “El Plato,” which was exclusively reported by Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle

The next month, Gabbard released documents relating to Amelia Earhart.

In January, under Gabbard’s leadership, NCTC prevented more than 10,000 terror-related linked cartel or gang members from entering the United States. NCTC added 85,000 individuals to the terrorist screening database.

During her tenure as director of national intelligence, Gabbard has also led efforts into election integrity, believing that election integrity is a key part of America’s national security. This led her to be present at the FBI search of a Fulton County, Georgia election center.

“Director Gabbard recognizes that election security is essential for the integrity of our republic and our nation’s security. As DNI, she has a vital role in identifying vulnerabilities in our critical infrastructure and protecting against exploitation,” DNI Press Secretary Olivia Coleman told Breitbart News.

“We know through intelligence and public reporting that electronic voting systems have been and are vulnerable to exploitation. President Trump’s directive to secure our elections was clear, and DNI Gabbard has and will continue to take actions within her authorities, alongside our interagency partners, to support ensuring the integrity of our elections,” Coleman added.

An airline is under fire after a vegan passenger was served what appeared to be a moldy sandwich, photos indicate.

Paul Booker, a British tourist who flew from Cancun to London on Jan. 14, posted a picture of the incriminating sandwich — which was served on a Virgin Atlantic flight — on X last month.

The pictures show two limp pieces of zucchini and what appear to be a charred, moldy pepper on a small baguette.

‘FATTENING’ AIRPLANE SNACKS SLAMMED BY TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: ‘FULL OF BUTTER, SUGAR AND CRAP’

Booker told Kennedy News he was served the sandwich as a breakfast option toward the end of his 10-hour flight.

When he peeled open the sandwich bread, he was horrified by its contents — and immediately called over a flight attendant.

Paul Booker, pictured at left, said he was served a vegan breakfast sandwich on a Virgin Atlantic flight that he described as the “worst meal” he’s ever had. (Kennedy News and Media)

“It is certainly up there as the worst meal I have ever had. It’s certainly the worst offering I have ever had,” he said.

There was “no way” he was going to eat the unappetizing meal, he said.

“To be honest, it was almost like shock laughter.”

The sandwich “looked like it was rotten,” he said. 

“I showed it to my friend, and to be honest, it was almost like shock laughter.”

The flight attendant gave him a fruit salad and encouraged him to contact Virgin Atlantic for a voucher.

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“It had this amusing writing on the box, ‘We found love in a hungry place,'” Booker said — which he found ironic.

“I certainly didn’t find love there, but I was certainly in the hungry place,” he added. 

The sandwich, which Booker said appeared “rotten,” had an amusing message on the box: “We found love in a hungry place.” (Kennedy News and Media)

Booker said he spent about $820 on the flight.

In return, Virgin Atlantic gave him a £100 voucher, equivalent to about $136 — an offer he dismissed as inadequate.

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“They could’ve given me £500 [about $680] and it wouldn’t be a drop in the ocean to them,” he said.

The passenger said the flight attendant seemed “genuinely embarrassed” by the incident.

“All customers, including those with specific dietary requirements, should receive food that meets our usual high standards.”

The airline told Fox News Digital that it takes dietary requirements very seriously.

“We never want to disappoint our customers, which is why it’s disheartening to hear that Mr. Booker was unhappy with the meal served on his flight from Cancun to London Heathrow,” a spokesperson said.

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“All customers, including those with specific dietary requirements, should receive food that meets our usual high standards.”

The episode highlights continued frustration among many travelers over airline meal quality.

The incident comes as airlines continue to face scrutiny over in-flight food offerings and passenger expectations. (iStock)

Meanwhile, American Airlines recently announced it will roll out a limited-time, 1920s-inspired in-flight menu on select first- and business-class flights.

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The menu will include upscale dishes like beef Wellington and caviar, the airline said.

Ministers have been unable to strip Wayne Couzens, the former police officer who raped and murdered Sarah Everard, of part of his public sector pension and are considering introducing legislation if required, Sky News can reveal.

In March 2021, when he was a serving Metropolitan Police officer, Couzens used his police warrant to lure Sarah Everard into a fake arrest while she was walking home from a friend’s house in south London, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He later raped and murdered her.

In 2023, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan successfully applied to the home secretary to have any money that Couzens could have earned in pension payments while serving at the Metropolitan police, forfeited.

It’s understood to be so small that it would be a negligible amount because of the short length of service there.

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Sarah Everard’s killer ‘should never have been an officer’

Mr Khan, who is also the city’s police and crime commissioner, at the time also believed Couzens had “approximately seven years’ pension service” with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), between 2011 and 2018, according to a letter shared with Sky News.

This is a special force which guards nuclear facilities and is overseen by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, but is the ultimate responsibility of the energy secretary.

It is not like other forces, which fall under the home secretary.

In a letter from 2023 to the then energy secretary, Grant Shapps, and shared with Sky News, Mr Khan said the CNC portion of Couzens’ pension “sits outside the normal police pension regulations”.

Freedom of information data obtained by Sky News shows there were no pension forfeitures from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary between 2020 and September 2025. It is understood that remains the case.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson told Sky News they are “absolutely determined that Wayne Couzens does not receive a Civil Nuclear Constabulary pension”.

Sky News understands there is an ongoing and complex legal process, and that the government is considering legislation, if required, in order to resolve it.

The CNC told Sky News that when Couzens was convicted, they made a recommendation to the employing force that he should lose his pension benefits, but that they have no decision-making powers.

“After committing such heinous crimes, Wayne Couzens should not receive a penny in taxpayer-funded pension. Londoners would be furious if he did,” Sadiq Khan told Sky News.

“Every possible step should be taken to ensure that Wayne Couzens does not receive his Civil Nuclear Constabulary pension”, he added.

It is possible for a pension forfeiture to give an individual back the money that they have contributed, while the state retains any money paid in by the police service, funded by the taxpayer.

“When in prison Wayne Couzens’ pension would be suspended, but on his death his family could be entitled to up to 50% of his pension”, Bethan Shellard-Dedman, a lecturer in policing practice, told Sky News.

Read more from Sky News:
Sarah Everard report ‘disturbing’
Wayne Couzens: Timeline of killer
Everard’s mother ‘tormented’

The requirements for an officer to have their pension forfeited are that they commit an offence against the Official Secrets Act or that they’re convicted of an offence that is either; “gravely injurious to the interests of the state”, in connection with their “service as a member of a police force” or “liable to lead to a serious loss of confidence in the public service”.

“If the forfeiture is successful, the individual officer has their contribution returned. The police force would then retain what they contributed. The amounts of which can vary,” said Ms Shellard-Dedman.

“If you think of that pot as a whole as 100%, what the force contributes is normally around 65%. They can either get the full 65% back, or they can get 30% back, in which case the officer would then retain some police pension. But it depends on the individual award,” she said.

Couzens has been convicted of crimes committed in 2021 against Sarah Everard, and indecent exposure offences committed in February 2021 and 2020.

These offences were during the period he served at the Metropolitan Police.