Police: Sabina Nessa may have been murdered by stranger in Kidbrooke Park

The police scene in Kidbrooke, where Sabina Nessa was killed. People have been leaving flowers in tribute. Credit: Lynn Rusk | LW

At a press conference at the crime scene, Det Ch Supt Trevor Lawry said that a stranger attack was ‘definitely a line of enquiry’ detectives were investigating.

Detectives are investigating whether a stranger could have killed teacher Sabina Nessa, who was murdered in a park metres from her home.

The 28-year-old was killed while walking through a park to meet her friend for a drink, police say.

The teacher was murdered in Cator Park, Kidbrooke, on Friday September 17, however wasn’t found until the next day as her body had been covered up by leaves.

And Scotland Yard said it is now following a line of enquiry that she was murdered by a stranger.

The body of Sabrina Nessa, a primary school teacher, was found in a park in Kidbrooke. Credit: Met Police | Credit: Met Police

What the Metropolitan Police said

At a press conference, at the scene of the crime, Det Ch Supt Trevor Lawry responded to a question as to whether the attack was by a stranger.

He said: “That’s definitely a line of inquiry that we’re looking at.”

The top cop said he was keeping an “open mind to the motive” but was concerned the killer was still at large.

However he said there was no intelligence that murdered would strike again.

Det Ch Supt Lawry explained: “We have lines of inquiry that we’re pursuing at the moment.

“It’s always a concern that it may happen, but that’s not something that we have any intelligence on at this time.”

The attack has reignited the discussion about the safety of women in London, just over six months after Sarah Everard was killed.

Sabina Nessa’s final movements. | JPI Media

Det Ch Supt Lawry said: “The streets are safe for women, I’d like to reassure the public around that, I’d like to make sure that people are free to walk around free from fear and my officers will make sure that that can take place.

“We’re listening to people, we’re understanding where people are feeling not so safe and we’re putting out patrols to make sure that we do that.

“This isn’t just a policing issue, there’s lots of issues to be able to make people feel safe in an open space and we’re working with our partners to ensure we do that.”

A man in his 40s has been arrested and released under investigation, however Det Ch Supt Lawry implied that the attacker was still at large.

What route did Sabina Nessa take?

Scotland Yard believes that the 28-year-old left her home address in Astell Road, Kidbrooke, near Eltham, just before 8.30pm on Friday September 17.

Ms Nessa lived inside the £1billion regeneration project, which was recently built in Kidbrooke village.

Astell Road, in Greenwich, where Sabina Nessa lived on. She was killed in a park five minutes away. Credit: Lynn Rusk | Credit: Lynn Rusk

Police understand she crossed the bridge from Astell Road and began walking through Cator Park.

She was thought to be heading to the Depot Pub, on Pegler Square, which is at the north end of the park, by Kidbrooke railway station.

Sabina was due to meet a friend at the pub, but never arrived.

The Depot pub where Sabina Nessa was heading when she was murdered. Credit: Lynn Rusk | Credit: Lynn Rusk

Detectives think she was murdered while walking through Cator Park.

Her body was found by a dog walker at 5.30pm Saturday September 18, covered by leaves near the OneSpace community centre - which is in the middle of the park.

Her family, from Sandy, Beds, have been left devastated by her death.

Her sister said she was “beautiful, talented and caring”.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said that “women and girls in London deserve to feel safe”.