Sabina Nessa: Man, 38, arrested on suspicion of teacher’s murder

A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of Sabina Nessa’s murder after her body was found last Saturday by a member of the public in Cator Park in south east London.

The man was held at an address in Lewisham and remains in custody, the Metropolitan Police said.

Another man in his 40s was held on suspicion of murder the day after Nessa’s body was found. He was later released under further investigation.

Police believe the 28-year-old primary school teacher was attacked around 8.30pm after leaving her home in Astell Road on Friday to meet a friend at The Depot Bar.

Detective Chief Inspector Joe Garrity said the park where her body was discovered was “likely being used by many people from dog walkers to joggers” at the time.

“Sabina was found near the OneSpace community centre which we know is a facility used by lots of people,” he added.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on Monday, but results were inconclusive.

Police released an image of a car they believe he had access to PA

It comes after a CCTV image appeal, during which Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “We would ask anyone - especially those in Kidbrooke and the wider area of Lewisham and Greenwich - to take a careful look at these images to check whether you know who this man is or have seen him over recent days.

“Any information as to his identity or whereabouts could be vital for our investigation so we are asking you to share this image far and wide to ensure as many people as possible see it.”

A man was captured on CCTV walking through Pegler Square PA

Lisa Williams, the headteacher of Rushey Green Primary School in Lewisham where Nessa had worked since July 2020, said in a statement that the school was “devastated by Sabina‘s tragic death”.

“She was a brilliant teacher; she was kind, caring and absolutely dedicated to her pupils,” she said. “She had so much life ahead of her and so much more to give and her loss is desperately sad.”

On Twitter, MP Apsana Begum said she shares the “rage and grief” at the death of Nessa.

Begum cites the statistic that on average, one woman is killed every three days, and despite every year presenting a “catalogue of violence”, things haven’t improved.

She wrote: “We’re reminded in the murder of Sarah Everard & now #SabinaNessa, that safety is not a right afforded to all, it is a privilege. These aren’t isolated incidents & violence does not occur in a vacuum. The government have failed us on the pandemic of gender-based violence.”

A candlelit vigil will take place this Friday in Kidbrooke Village to commemorate Nessa’s life and to unite together against violence towards women.

Anyone with information or any witnesses can call police on 101, reference 5747/18. To remain anonymous, please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.