Britain's most senior police officer has spoken of the "profound sadness and anger and regret" felt within her force about Sarah Everard's kidnap, rape and murder.

Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick was speaking outside the Old Bailey on the day one of her officers, Wayne Couzens, pleaded guilty to all three crimes.

She said her thoughts were with the victim's family.

"I was able to speak to them earlier today and say again, how very sorry I am for their loss and for their pain and their suffering," she said.

"All of us in the Met are sickened, angered and devastated by this man's crimes.

"They are dreadful. Everyone in policing feels betrayed."

She said: "No words can adequately express the profound sadness and anger and regret" felt by everyone in the force.

The force said Couzens passed vetting procedures and a review after his arrest found no information available at the time that would have changed the decision.

He joined the Met in September 2018 from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) before moving to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command in February 2020, where his main role was to patrol diplomatic premises, mainly embassies.

The Met said he was never subject to any misconduct proceedings during his time in the force, who stopped paying him after he pleaded guilty to rape and kidnap last month.

Couzens now faces internal misconduct proceedings as well as a possible whole life sentence.