A POLICE worker who failed to carry out proper vetting checks on killer cop Wayne Couzens has been axed.
Pietan Mepani was identified by Met officers after the murder by Couzens of Sarah Everard in 2021.
Peten Mepani failed to carry out proper checks on Sarah Everard murderer Wayne CouzenAndrew Styczynski
Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard in 2021Metropolitan Police
They found that civilian worker Mepani, 37, had already faced misconduct proceedings for “similar failings”.
But he kept his job and was tasked with probing Couzens’ background when he joined in 2018.
A damning report concluded this February that police should never have employed the serial sex offender. Couzens passed vetting again when he applied to be a firearms officer in 2019.
Mepani has now been fired over a separate breach of conduct — said to be misuse of the overtime system.
A source said: “Bosses have known for some time Mepani was culpable over Couzens.
“But because he had already been disciplined, they could not act over the vetting failures.
“He’s now gone. But it’s too late for Sarah and her family.”
Sarah, 33, was snatched in Clapham, South West London, in a bogus Covid arrest.
Couzens is serving a whole-life jail term. The Met said: “We looked back to identify the member of police staff responsible for carrying out the checks.
“It transpired they had already faced misconduct proceedings, prior to the murder of Sarah Everard, after a sample of their work revealed similar failings. They received a final written warning. They have subsequently been dismissed for a separate conduct matter.”
Mepani, of North West London, declined to comment.