A new Netflix drama will depict how Rachel Nickell's toddler son was taken out of Britain by his father to begin a secret life abroad, away from his mother's killer. Miss Nickell, 23, was stabbed 49 times on Wimbledon Common in front of her two-year-old son Alex Hanscombe as they walked their dog Molly on July 15, 1992. The model was also sexually assaulted by the attacker before he fled, and Alex was found by a passer-by next to his mother, repeatedly saying: 'Wake up, Mummy.'
Drama from the Witness's Perspective
An upcoming true crime drama called 'The Witness' will follow investigations into the murder from Alex's point of view after he was the only witness to her death. Miss Nickell's partner Andre Hanscombe became a single parent overnight, and the drama, released on June 4, looks at the traumatic experiences of the father and son. A newly-released trailer for the series begins with Alex's voiceover saying: 'I went for a walk with my mother when I was a child, and she never made it home.' A television news reporter is then heard saying: 'The brutal murder of a young mother shattered the tranquillity of one of London's most affluent suburbs.'
Series Details and Cast
The series, spread across three hour-long episodes, will see the pair navigate the lengthy and bungled police investigation in the aftermath of the tragedy. The cast includes Jahsaiah Williams and Max Fincham as Alex, Jordan Bolger as Andre, Eleanor Williams as Miss Nickell, and Kerry Godliman as June. Other actors include James Bradshaw as DCI Tony Nash, James Dryden as DC Paul Miller, Kevin Eldon as DCI Mick Wickerson, and Neil Maskell as DI Keith Pedder.
Moving to France and Spain
Andre decided to move with Alex to a farmhouse in France for their safety as the killer remained at large, then moved to Spain when their address was discovered. The series also features a re-enacted version of a previously-unseen home video. The real version features in an accompanying Netflix documentary, of Alex speaking to Andre about the horror.
Statement from Alex and Andre
Alex and Andre said in a statement: 'Our life has been a battle. We can never express how indebted we are to everyone that's been a part of this, for the kindness and generosity they've extended to us, for the chance they took with us in bringing our story to the screen, and for the care they have taken. Our journey has all been by the grace of God and a promise to go on together, and we feel incredibly blessed to be able to share our story in this way. We hope that audiences will be left with a testament to the tough battle of life we all face and to the power of faith, hope, love – and never giving up.'
Exclusive Home Video Footage
Yesterday, the Mail exclusively revealed an astonishing video of Alex aged three chatting to Andre about what he had witnessed. The footage will feature in a new Netflix documentary 'The Murder of Rachel Nickell', also released on June 4. The clip shows Alex and Andre sat at a table, with the boy dressed in a Thunderbirds outfit as he says: 'Dadda, can you help me draw Mummy on this piece of paper?' Andre then calmly asks his son about the bad man, the knife, and what he saw. Alex says: 'I saw it, yeah I saw it all.'
Police Investigation and Aftermath
Speaking in the present day, Andre tells the programme: 'My son witnessed his mother's murder but nobody could have possibly known how long it was going to take to find the person who did this.' Some 32 men were questioned following the murder, and the original suspect Colin Stagg spent 13 months in custody before being freed by an Old Bailey judge in 1994 who criticised police for using a 'honeytrap' undercover policewoman. The case was reopened in 2002 using advanced DNA techniques, identifying convicted murderer Robert Napper as a suspect. Napper pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility in 2008 and was detained indefinitely at Broadmoor Hospital. Stagg was awarded £706,000 compensation from the Home Office.
Alex's Recollections
Alex, now in his mid-30s, has spoken about his ordeal, including to the Daily Mail in September 2021, saying: 'My strongest memory is of waving goodbye to my father at home. Then it moves on to walking hand-in-hand with my mother on the common. I remember making our way into the trees, walking with our dog, Molly. I remember a stranger walking up towards us. I remember being grabbed and thrown around roughly. And I remember my mother being grabbed and thrown around, collapsing on the floor beside me. And I remember the realisation of what happened. I said: "Wake up, Mummy." And she didn't respond. So I said again: "Wake up, Mummy," and she didn't respond... I knew my mother was gone. She wasn't coming back.'
The new documentary from Bafta-nominated director Lucy Bowden examines the police investigation with archive footage, first-hand accounts and forensic insights. 'The Witness' and 'The Murder of Rachel Nickell' are both on Netflix from June 4.
