A mother of two was stabbed to death by a serial violent offender just days after he was released from prison early, having tried to call police shortly before she was killed, a neighbour has said.
Dickiesha Nurse, 42, was murdered in her home in Tulse Hill, south London, by her ex-partner Robert Sabat, 60, who had been released on licence from Wandsworth jail four days earlier. Sabat was this week handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years and one month for the killing in October last year.
Neighbour describes final call
A neighbour, who declined to be named, told the Mirror how terrified Kiesha, as she was known, had used his phone to call police to report Sabat. He said: "It was two days before she was killed. She said he wouldn't leave but she terminated the call because she saw him go."
Sabat, who had a string of convictions for attacking partners, returned and stabbed her to death in her flat. He had been sentenced the day before his release to 12 months in prison at Kingston Crown Court, having been held on remand since May.
Police commissioner's warning
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said this week that his officers are arresting two or three offenders a week who have been freed from prison early. Kiesha is the latest in a string of women murdered by violent men previously bailed or released on licence.
They included Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins, killed by serial sex offender Simon Levy while he was on bail and being monitored. Zara Aleena, 35, was murdered by Jordan McSweeney in Ilford, east London, in June 2022, nine days after his release on licence.
Sabat's criminal history
Sabat had been convicted of possession of a bladed article and harassment relating to an incident on May 1 2025, when he banged on the door of a former partner armed with two knives. His convictions date back to 1987, including harassing two former partners, burglary, assault, wounding with intent and knife possession.
In 2023 he was given a restraining order after being cleared of attempted murder when the victim, his landlady, failed to attend court. In 2013, he was made subject to a non-molestation order of a former partner.
On being arrested on suspicion of Dickiesha's murder, Sabat claimed he had killed before and said: "I'm gonna go on a murder spree", a court heard. When told why he was being detained, he said: "Not suspicion. Murder. Murder, yeah. I've murdered three people so far. I'm gonna go on a murder spree."
Begging to be sent back behind bars, he said: "I stay jail. I've been let out a week. Let me back. I'm happy in there, I've done wrong. I killed before and got away with it."
Court hearing details
Sentencing him at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC said she was "adored" by her family and acknowledged the "terrible and devastating pain brought about by her death". Prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC said Sabat, from Balham, south London, and Dickiesha had previously been in a relationship and had known each other for many years as the defendant was brought up by her father.
Family members raised concern on Monday October 27 and paramedics went to her flat to carry out a welfare check, accompanied by her sister and mother. Soon after, armed officers forced entry to the property and used Tasers as they detained Sabat, who smelt strongly of alcohol.
Ms Farrelly said officers found Dickiesha on a bed with a pillow over her face and with multiple stab wounds to the face. She was pronounced dead at the scene. In a victim impact statement, Dickiesha's sister Samantha Carvalho described Sabat as a "menace to society", saying the "heartlessness" of the killing was "impossible to comprehend". She said: "The defendant intentionally cut her again and again, overwhelming her as she struggled for her life."
Her mother Claudette McBean described her daughter as kind, loving and the "life and soul of the party". Referring to Sabat, she said: "I do not know what he was thinking about but I keep thinking about the fact he was staying in that address all that week."
