The Witness: 5 shocking revelations that make the Rachel Nickell docuseries worth watching 

The Witness is Netflix's latest three-part true crime drama miniseries, which revisits the 1992 case of Rachel Nickell, who was assaulted and stabbed to death in front of her two-year-old son, Alex Hanscombe.

The official synopsis for the docuseries reads as follows:

In 1992, Rachel Nickell was murdered on Wimbledon Common and her son, Alex, just three weeks from his third birthday, was the only witness. The drama is based on the memoir and experiences of Alex and his father, André Hanscombe.

The Witness, based on the memoir Letting Go by Alex Hanscombe, features re-enactments and interviews with a now grown-up Alex and his father, André Hanscombe. The docuseries re-examines Rachel Nickell's murder investigation, the police's neglect & misconduct in her case and the aftermath for her husband (played by Jordan Bolger) and son (played by Max Fincham).

Here are 5 chilling revelations that make the Rachel Nickell docuseries worth watching.

The Witness: 5 chilling revelations from the Rachel Nickell docuseries

1) The Witness: Rachel Nickell was s*xually assaulted and killed in front of her 2-year-old son

Rachel Nickell was out on a walk in London’s Wimbledon Common with her 2-year-old son Alex on July 15, 1992, when she was s*xually assaulted and stabbed 49 times in the neck and torso. The following day, a dogwalker discovered a 2-year-old Alex clinging to his mother's lifeless body, leading to an intense investigation.

While the authorities initially used Alex's testimony (in the presence of a child psychologist) to gain intel on the killer, his father, André, eventually denied permission, considering the toll it took on his young son's mind.

2) The Witness: The police identified a suspect from Alex's descriptions

While Andre eventually distanced Alex from Rachel Nickell's murder investigation, the authorities used his descriptions to develop a composite sketch and psychological profile of the potential killer. Once released, concerned citizens teamed up and led the authorities to a local man named Colin Stagg, who fit the profile.

Although Stagg was taken in for questioning, investigators were ultimately forced to release him because there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime.

3) The Witness: The police used “deceptive conduct'' to arrest Colin Stagg for Rachel Nickell's murder

While Stagg was cleared of Rachel Nickell's murder, the police used ''deceptive misconduct'' to frame him for the crime. A female officer pretended to be a part of the local “lonely hearts club” and sent letters to Stagg. Once Stagg took the bait and began sending violent letters to the officer, he was arrested for Rachel Nickell's murder, 13 months after the incident.

However, after a new suspect emerged, Stagg was released from prison after spending 13 months. While he received £706,000 and the police issued a public apology, Stagg says he became “Britain’s most hated person for about 15 years.”

4) The Witness: Samantha Bisset's murder brought Rachel's real killer to light

Three months after Stagg's arrest, the police discovered shocking similarities between the Nickell murder case and a woman named Samantha Bisset, who was assaulted and killed with her 4-year-old daughter in Southwest London. Forensic evidence linked Robert Napper, a local with a criminal history, to the crime, who was also diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

On re-examination of the Nickell cold case in 2002, the police found evidence suggesting Napper was responsible for the crime. In 2008, Napper eventually pleaded guilty to Rachel Nickell's murder and was given a lifetime sentence of confinement at Broadmoor, which he is currently serving.

5) The Witness: Alex blames the police for ''miscarriage of justice'' in the Netflix docuseries

While Colin Stagg faced grave injustice in the Rachel Nickell's case, her family was shattered by this miscarriage of justice. After Napper confessed to three unsolved s*xual assaults from 1989, it was clear that the police had failed to carry out their duty to serve and protect.

Speaking on this injustice with Netflix's Tudum, Alex said:

“They [The Police] failed to take the killer off the street years before the attack on my mother and me, despite as many as 90 other attacks taking place.… The police have never acknowledged the extent of their failings or the wrongs they did in a true spirit of contrition.”

The Witness is streaming on Netflix.

Trending

For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback