CCTV has been put up outside the home of the Metropolitan Police officer accused of kidnapping and murdering Sarah Everard amid fears of vigilante attacks.

Dover District Council says the measure in Freemen's Way, Deal, is to protect the local community as the probe continues in neighbouring towns of Dover and Sandwich.

The council said: "The camera at this location has been put up by Dover District Council in the short term, to provide reassurance to the local community, in consultation with the local police."

Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested at the property in connection with the disappearance of the 33 year-old last Tuesday.

The home he shared with his wife and children was cordoned off and became an initial focus of the investigation while police also searched woodland in Great Chart near Ashford for a body.

Human remains were discovered next to a defunct leisure and golf complex later that day and were confirmed by dental records as belonging to Sarah last Thursday.

Couzens, who has served with the Met since 2018, was charged with kidnap and murder last Friday.

Large police searches have been conducted in and near to his family's former garage in Centre Road, Dover since last Thursday.

Sandwich - 40 miles from Ashford and a neighbouring town to Deal - became a major search point on Sunday. Officers have searched the Ropewalk and associated waterway, the Guildhall and Coop car parks, The Butts and a builders' yard this week.

And searches resumed close to The family garage again on Wednesday, this time at North Military Road.

Couzens is due to enter a plea in July and could stand trial in October. He appeared at The Old Bailey on Tuesday.

Sarah's body was released to her parents yesterday during an inquest, which has been adjourned until after the trial.

A second post-mortem has been ordered where the results of the first, on Friday, March 12 at William Harvey Hospital, were inconclusive.

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed Couzens 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.

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