“A shocking true story”: The Witness is the tragic new 3-part dramatisation of a 1992 murder on Netflix
Netflix has been working on a three-part dramatisation about the harrowing events of Rachel Nickell’s murder on Wimbledon Common in 1992, which was witnessed by her two-year-old son.
The Witness lands on the streaming platform later this week, and follows the impact the tragic event had on her child and partner, rather than the specific crime itself. Here’s everything you need to know about the miniseries, from its release date to its cast, as well as the shocking true story behind it.
What is The Witness about?
In 1992, 23-year-old Rachel Nickell was brutally murdered while walking on Wimbledon Common with her two-year-old son. While The Witness doesn’t focus on the horrific crime itself, but rather zones in on the heartbreaking impact it had on her partner, André Hanscombe, and their two-year-old son, Alex.
Alex was the sole-witness of the attack, and as a result, became a key part of the police investigation. The Witness looks at how André became a single parent overnight, and tried to protect his son in the most intense situation, attempting to priority his wellbeing amid media attention and a frenzied police investigation.
Netflix
What have Alex and André said about The Witness?
In a statement to Netflix ahead of the show’s release, Alex – now 36 – and his father said:
“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.”
Netflix
Who’s in the cast of The Witness?
- Jordan Bolger as Andre Hanscombe
- James Bradshaw as DCI Tony Nash
- James Dryden as DC Paul Miller
- Kevin Eldon as DCI Mick Wickerson
- Max Fincham as Alex Hanscombe (teenage)
- Kerry Godliman as June
- Neil Maskell as DI Keith Pedder
- Jon Pointing as DC Nick Sparshatt
- Claire Rushbrook as Dr. Jean Harris-Hendriks
- Mark Stanley as DS Ivan Agnew
Netflix
What happened in Rachel Nickell’s case?
After Rachel’s tragic murder, police initially charged a man named Colin Stagg with her murder. He spent 13 months in custody awaiting trial, before a judge dismissed his case over ‘honey trapping’ methods used by the police, in order to try and get a confession out of him. He was later compensated for their misdoings, and cleared of the crime in 1994.
In 2002, the case was reopened, and thanks to new DNA techniques, police were able to link convicted murdered Ropert Napper to the brutal attack. He plead guilty to manslaughter in 2008 (on the grounds of diminished responsibility) and is currently detained indefinitely at Broadmoor Hospital.
What is The Witness’s release date?
The Witness lands on Netflix on the 4th June, when you can watch all three episodes.
