Sabina Nessa killing: scared women recall ‘previous incidents’ in Kidbrooke

Neighbours of Sabina Nessa - the teacher who was killed in a Kidbrooke park - have told LondonWorld of previous “incidents” in the area.

Women who live in the area have said they will avoid Cator Park, where the 28-year-old’s body was found.

It is thought Ms Nessa was killed while making the five-minute walk from her house in Astell Road to the nearby Depot Pub.

Her death has shocked the capital, and reignited the debate around women’s safety in London just six months after Sarah Everard was abducted and killed.

In particular it has impacted women who live nearby, and one neighbour - who wished to remain anonymous - said there have been previous “incidents”.

“I’d like to believe that this is a safe area, but there have been a lot of incidents that have happened, ‘’ she told LondonWorld.

“There’s not enough lighting in the areas around the station.

“I’ve been living here for six years now and I still feel uncomfortable if I’m walking alone from the station.

“Obviously the routes have changed because of the construction site but when there are areas that are not well lit I do feel uncomfortable, even after living here for so many years.

“Sabina was a resident on Astell Road, which is right next to this street and I have friends who live there in that particular block.”

And the woman said that the pub, the Depot, in Pegler Square, where Ms Nessa was going, is very popular with people in the area.

“She was going to Depot, which is a place where we go very often, just for a drink,” she said.

“Friday night is usually when we go there.

“The route that she took is a route I take very often.

“I have done that walk alone many times, so obviously reading about Sabina’s murder makes me really nervous and the fact that it could happen on such a short walk.

“I was thinking about the last time I had to walk that route alone at night and I was feeling grateful that I had gotten home safely.”

The Daily Telegraph reported that in May a woman was sexually assaulted just two miles from where Ms Nessa’s body was discovered, under a pile of leaves.

A women was walking in a neighbouring park, and was allegedly pushed into a bush and sexually assaulted.

The site is also just over a mile from where Stephen Lawrence was killed in Eltham.

Another neighbour, called Blessing, told LondonWorld: “The news is quite chilling as this is supposed to be a safe area and we’ve never had anything like this, at least in the times that I’ve lived here.

“It’s just quite chilling.

“It’s a park where everyone goes for a run, I even go for a run there sometimes, early mornings, late nights, but I won’t be going now for the moment anyway.

“My housemates are now concerned about leaving the windows open, anything.

“It’s supposed to be a safe area, I mean we genuinely think it’s a safe area but when something like this happens it just takes that away from the community I guess.

“I don’t know what more the police can do, I mean you can say more street lights and all these things but I’m not sure if they can do any more.”

Muslim women in the area expressed concerned that Ms Nessa could have been targeted over her faith.

On Thursday, police arrested a second man on suspicion of murder.

The man, aged 38, was arrested at an address in Lewisham. He was taken into custody where he remains.

Detectives are also hunting a person and a car in relation to the investigation.

The images of the man, taken from CCTV, shows him walking in Pegler Square, Kidbrooke, Greenwich, on the evening Sabina was attacked.

Police have also released an image of a silver vehicle they believe the suspect has access to, which was also captured in the Pegler Square area.

Police are urging anyone who recognises the man and vehicle to make contact immediately.