Robert Napper, now in his 60s, is detained at Broadmoor after DNA linked him to the 1992 Wimbledon Common killing of Rachel Nickell, who was stabbed 49 times while her toddler son watched. A bungled undercover operation led to the wrongful arrest of Colin Stagg, who later received compensation. Napper was also implicated in the 1993 murders of Samantha Bissett and her daughter and connected to dozens of sexual offences; clinical findings of severe mental illness informed his manslaughter plea in 2008.
Where Is Robert Napper Now? Inside His Life After the Murder of Rachel Nickell
Robert Napper; Rachel Nickell.Credit: Casey Rodgers/AP; Michael Conroy/AP Photo
Robert Napper remains detained at Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital after DNA testing linked him to the 1992 murder of 23-year-old Rachel Nickell, who was fatally attacked on Wimbledon Common while her two-year-old son looked on.
The Attack and Immediate Aftermath
On July 15, 1992, Rachel Nickell was brutally stabbed 49 times while she was with her son, Alex, on Wimbledon Common. Her partner, André Hanscombe, later wrote about the moment a police officer answered their home phone and how he immediately realised Rachel had been killed. In a published account he recalled collapsing to the floor and racing to find their young son.
Robert Napper.Credit: Casey Rodgers/AP
“When I phoned our home in Balham... a policeman answered. He wouldn’t tell me where Rachel was, but I knew his presence meant she was dead, and I collapsed to the floor on the border of insanity.” — André Hanscombe
Investigation Missteps and a Wrongful Arrest
The investigation was marred by errors. An undercover operation in which a female police officer encouraged and manipulated a suspect, Colin Stagg, led to his arrest and 13 months in custody. A judge later dismissed the case, calling the tactics deceptive. There was no DNA evidence linking Stagg to the crime, and he was later awarded nearly $1 million in compensation for the wrongful arrest and its consequences.
Forensic Breakthrough
Scotland Yard reopened the case in 2002. Advances in forensic science allowed investigators to re-examine material from the scene and Rachel’s clothing. DNA results eventually pointed to Robert Napper, who by then was already in custody for other offences.
Colin Stagg.Credit: Rebecca Naden/PA Images via Getty
Napper’s Crimes, Diagnosis and Convictions
In 1993 Napper murdered Samantha Bissett and her four-year-old daughter Jazmine in their home; Samantha was stabbed and mutilated and Jazmine was suffocated and sexually assaulted. Following DNA links and further investigation, Napper pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility in the Rachel Nickell case in 2008 and was detained indefinitely. He has also been connected to dozens of rapes and sexual assaults commonly referred to as the Green Chain offences.
Clinical assessments during his imprisonment identified severe mental health conditions, including paranoid schizophrenia and features consistent with Asperger syndrome, which informed the legal findings of diminished responsibility.
An aerial photograph of Broadmoor Hospital.Credit: David Goddard/Getty
Accountability and Legacy
The Metropolitan Police and the Independent Police Complaints Commission acknowledged failings in earlier investigations and apologised to victims and their families. Officials said investigative errors, missed opportunities and flawed policing techniques contributed to delays in identifying Napper and preventing further violence.
Where He Is Now
Now in his 60s, Robert Napper remains detained at Broadmoor. The case has returned to public attention through recent documentary and dramatized retellings, prompting renewed scrutiny of past investigative failures and the lasting impact on victims, survivors and families.
Sources: Reporting from The Times, The Guardian, the BBC and contemporary court records and reporting on the Nickell and Bissett cases.
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