Colin Stagg wrongly jailed for one of Britain's most infamous murders is desperate to meet the victim's family
- 8 months ago
A man wrongly jailed over one of Britain's most infamous murders says he is desperate to meet the victim's family - to help bring them both closure.
Colin Stagg, 60, spent 13 months in prison after being set up in a 'honeytrap' operation by police investigating the horrific murder of Rachel Nickell in one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history.
And he said he now wants to meet her surviving relatives face-to-face to express his sympathy - and said he understands their 'misdirected' anger towards him for so many years.
Rachel was stabbed 49 times aged just 23 in front of her two-year-old son on Wimbledon Common in July 1992.
Until Robert Napper was identified as her real killer in 2008 - Colin said Rachel's family continued to hold him in anger and contempt - believing he had been cleared of her murder on a mere technicality.
Colin, who is now homeless and living in temporary accommodation after blowing his £700,000 Home Office compensation payout, says he just wants to live a quiet life out of the spotlight.
But he said one thing he was desperate to do before that was to express his deep sorrow to her loved ones - in a step he hopes might finally bring some closure to both parties.
He said: "I've always had an incredible amount of sympathy for the family since it first happened. It really depressed me they thought I was still guilty for so long and only got off on a technicality.
"I just wanted to shake them and say 'I did not do this'. There is no way I could have done it - it is not in my nature.
"Looking back on it - they know now I am innocent - but I would still like to meet Andre (Rachel's partner at the time) and his son. I would just shake them by the hand and say I am so sorry for all that happened to their family.
"People say I've had it bad enough, but it has been so much worse for them. It is such a horrible thing that happened."
Colin said there was first murmurs of a meeting being arranged a couple of months ago but it fell through.
He added: "I am not sure why it fell through. But I would like to put that offer to them publicly. I am certainly up for it but only as long as they are happy. I am not going to force it but I would like to meet them.
"I don't want to bring everything up again. It was a long time ago - but I'd like to tell them I've always been on their side. I've always had a lot of respect and sympathy for them.
"I know they will never get over what happened, but I just hope they can move forward."
Colin was freed in September 1994, when Mr Justice Ognall ruled that the police had shown "excessive zeal" into trying to incriminate him by "deceptive conduct of the grossest kind".
He excluded all the entrapment evidence and the prosecution was left with no option but to drop the case.
But Colin said even after he was cleared, he had to cope with lingering doubts over his guilt, right up until a DNA breakthrough helped convict Napper of the murder in 2008.
Colin Stagg, 60, spent 13 months in prison after being set up in a 'honeytrap' operation by police investigating the horrific murder of Rachel Nickell in one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history.
And he said he now wants to meet her surviving relatives face-to-face to express his sympathy - and said he understands their 'misdirected' anger towards him for so many years.
Rachel was stabbed 49 times aged just 23 in front of her two-year-old son on Wimbledon Common in July 1992.
Until Robert Napper was identified as her real killer in 2008 - Colin said Rachel's family continued to hold him in anger and contempt - believing he had been cleared of her murder on a mere technicality.
Colin, who is now homeless and living in temporary accommodation after blowing his £700,000 Home Office compensation payout, says he just wants to live a quiet life out of the spotlight.
But he said one thing he was desperate to do before that was to express his deep sorrow to her loved ones - in a step he hopes might finally bring some closure to both parties.
He said: "I've always had an incredible amount of sympathy for the family since it first happened. It really depressed me they thought I was still guilty for so long and only got off on a technicality.
"I just wanted to shake them and say 'I did not do this'. There is no way I could have done it - it is not in my nature.
"Looking back on it - they know now I am innocent - but I would still like to meet Andre (Rachel's partner at the time) and his son. I would just shake them by the hand and say I am so sorry for all that happened to their family.
"People say I've had it bad enough, but it has been so much worse for them. It is such a horrible thing that happened."
Colin said there was first murmurs of a meeting being arranged a couple of months ago but it fell through.
He added: "I am not sure why it fell through. But I would like to put that offer to them publicly. I am certainly up for it but only as long as they are happy. I am not going to force it but I would like to meet them.
"I don't want to bring everything up again. It was a long time ago - but I'd like to tell them I've always been on their side. I've always had a lot of respect and sympathy for them.
"I know they will never get over what happened, but I just hope they can move forward."
Colin was freed in September 1994, when Mr Justice Ognall ruled that the police had shown "excessive zeal" into trying to incriminate him by "deceptive conduct of the grossest kind".
He excluded all the entrapment evidence and the prosecution was left with no option but to drop the case.
But Colin said even after he was cleared, he had to cope with lingering doubts over his guilt, right up until a DNA breakthrough helped convict Napper of the murder in 2008.