99-409: Rachel Jane Nickell (23 November 1968 – 15 July 1992) was a British woman who was stabbed to death on Wimbledon Common in south-west London on 15 July 1992. The initial police investigation of the crime resulted in the arrest in controversial circumstances of an innocent man, who was acquitted. Her killer, Robert Napper , was identified by a later police investigation and convicted in 2008. Nickell
198-519: A Site of Special Scientific Interest , and a Special Area of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive . English Nature works with the Conservators on the management plan for the area. Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath are also a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation . The Commons are administered by eight Conservators . Five of them are elected triennially and
297-511: A century earlier the property was noted for "deep play". Pitt died in the house in 1806 from typhus. It was later owned by Henry Lewis Doulton, son of Henry Doulton of pottery fame. It was demolished and an art deco style residence rebuilt on the site in 1933. Nearby stands Bristol House, which owes its name to the Bristol family. James Macpherson , the translator and author of the Ossian's Poems , had
396-508: A duel between George, the third Lord Chandos, and Colonel Henry Compton ended with Compton being killed. On a Sunday afternoon in May 1798 William Pitt , the then Prime Minister, who lived in Bowling-Green House on the heath, fought a bloodless battle with William Tierney, MP. The house derived its name from the bowling-green formerly attached to it, and for more than sixty years (1690–1750) was
495-531: A gift from 15th-century Lord Mayor Richard Whittington . It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt in 1674, with the court open to the weather to prevent the spread of disease. The building was re-fronted in 1734, so as to enclose the court and reduce the influence of spectators: this led to outbreaks of typhus , notably in 1750 when 60 people died, including the Lord Mayor and two judges. It
594-481: A new site. It has two teams in the highly competitive Fullers Surrey County League and a Sunday side that plays on a more social level. In 1900, a decade after the death of his multimillionaire father Junius Morgan , J. P. Morgan had already gained a fondness for the sport and was made an honorary member. Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton , who presided at the club dinner in 1910, allowed his two young children – Raymond and Cecily – to play cowboys and Indians on
693-560: A provision to allow the Conservators to have Officers attested as constables for the purposes of enforcing the provisions of the Act and all bylaws made there under. There was resistance at the time to a similar provision in the draft Bill that preceded the Act, whereby an article in The Spectator in January 1865 objected to the creation of 'Spencerian Police'. The article refers to draft Bill as it
792-470: A public appeal to fund their legal challenge, raising £25,000 from a few dozen donors. The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators joined forces legally with Wandsworth, appointing Wandsworth to build the roads. The land sold by the Conservators to the council will be tarmacked for some 110 metres (120 yards), and lined with bollards, in addition to street lighting, tarmacked footpaths and electronic barriers, which objectors say will suburbanise and alter
891-407: A public spectacle in the street outside until May 1868. The condemned would be led along Dead Man's Walk between the buildings, and many were buried in the walk itself. Large, rowdy crowds sometimes gathered and pelted the condemned with rotten fruit and vegetables and stones. Some sources claim that, after 28 people were crushed to death when a pie-seller's stall overturned, a tunnel was made between
990-535: A series of opportunities to take him off the streets and suggested the lives of Samantha Bisset and her four-year-old daughter, Jazmine, would also have been saved if police had acted on tip-offs, including one by Napper's mother. Rachel Cerfontyne of the IPCC said that police failed to investigate the 1989 report that he attacked a woman on Plumstead Common in London and no record of the telephone call can be found. She said, "It
1089-460: A stoop. The IPCC said no police officer would face disciplinary action because they had all retired and one key senior detective had died. Criminal prosecutions were not considered. Wimbledon Common Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon , southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath , and Putney Lower Common , which together are managed under
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#17330847509151188-564: A villa on Putney Heath. The heath near the Telegraph pub was also the venue for the September 1809 duel between Cabinet ministers George Canning and Lord Castlereagh . Scio House was the last villa on Portsmouth Road abutting the heath: it eventually became a hospital and was known as Scio House Hospital for Officers, Putney. It has since been redeveloped as a gated community of 70 neo-Georgian homes divided into two streets. Putney Heath
1287-551: Is around 160 hectares (400 acres) in size and sits at approximately 45 metres (148 feet) above sea level. Because of its elevation, from 1796 to 1816 Putney Heath hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain , which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in Portsmouth . This was replaced by a semaphore station, which was part of a semaphore line that operated between 1822 and 1847. Thomas Cromwell , 1st Earl of Essex,
1386-541: Is clear that throughout the investigations into the 'Green Chain' rapes and Rachel Nickell's death there was a catalogue of bad decisions and errors made by the Metropolitan Police. The police failed to sufficiently investigate after Napper's mother called police to report that he had confessed to her that he had raped a woman and, inconceivably, they eliminated Napper from inquiries into the Green Chain rapes because he
1485-498: Is for the benefit of the general public for informal recreation, and for the preservation of natural flora and fauna. It is the largest expanse of heathland in London, with an area of bog with a flora that is rare in the region. The western slopes, which lie on London Clay , support mature mixed woodland . The Commons are also an important site for the stag beetle . Most of the Common is
1584-568: Is somewhat deeper, being impounded in a small valley. These were often referred to as "Pen Ponds". Beverley Brook runs along the western edge of Wimbledon Common. The watercourse was the historic south west London boundary, and is paralleled by the Beverley Brook Walk . Near Beverley Brook and Warren Farm are two Local Nature Reserves managed by the London Wildlife Trust : Farm Bog and Fishpond Wood and Beverley Meads . At
1683-443: Is the only known instance of a team called Putney and of a match at this venue. Old Central School , situated in the south west of Wimbledon Common, provided a former pupils football team in the late 19th century which played on the common and used the "Fox and Grapes" public house as a changing room. At first called "The Old Centrals", this club later became Wimbledon F.C. Putney Lower Common hosted Fulham F.C. 's home games in
1782-622: The Conference South League ) play their home matches at the Richmond Park entrance/Robin Hood roundabout corner of the common on Sunday mornings. A Parkrun is held on the common every Saturday morning which usually sees in excess of 300 runners complete 5 kilometres. The course starts and finishes at the Windmill. Today, as well as being a popular place for cycling, jogging and walking,
1881-509: The Great Fire of London , to coincide with the invention of the Hartley fire plates by David Hartley , near a spot where his fireproof house was built. The obelisk, with the ornately detailed foundation stone, is still standing and can be accessed via the car park adjacent to The Telegraph public house, off Wildcroft Road, SW15. The lower part of this house was repeatedly set on fire in the presence, among others, of George III and Queen Charlotte ,
1980-773: The Invasion of Britain by Claudius . It may have been taken by the Legio II Augusta under Vespasian in their push westwards in AD 44. It is possible the site was settled as far back as the Bronze Age , but it and the surrounding barrows were deliberately destroyed by John Erle-Drax in 1875. During World War One, an area of the common known as The Plain was used as one of ten air bases protecting London. In 1914 and before, model aircraft were flown here. Charles II reviewed his forces on Putney Heath in 1684; in May 1767, George III reviewed
2079-563: The Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales . The street outside follows the route of the ancient wall around the City of London , which was part of the fortification's bailey , hence the metonymic name. The court has been housed in a succession of buildings on the street since
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#17330847509152178-498: The Provisional IRA exploded a car bomb in the street outside, killing one and injuring 200 people. A shard of glass is preserved as a reminder, embedded in the wall at the top of the main stairs. The hall (and its floor) was decorated with many busts and statues, chiefly of British monarchs, but also of legal figures, and those who achieved renown by campaigning for improvement in prison conditions from 1700 to 1900. This part of
2277-404: The lord of the manor , Earl Spencer , who owned Wimbledon manor , attempted to pass a private parliamentary bill to enclose the Common for the creation of a new park with a house and gardens and to sell part for building. In a landmark decision for English common land , and following an enquiry, permission was refused and a board of conservators was established in 1871 to take ownership of
2376-476: The second Marquis of Exeter . Grantham House had a large fountain in its grounds between road and residence, while across the road on the heath was a large, shallow rectangular pond used for ice skating. Grantham House stood east of both Exeter and Ashburton houses, on the site of the present-day Hayward Gardens. The skating pond was filled in post-WWII. George Cokayne , author of peerage and baronetage publications, died at Exeter House in 1911. Nearby Gifford House
2475-616: The title character demolishes it to gain the public's attention, and Justice League and its director's cut , in which Wonder Woman foils a terrorist bomb plot. In Agatha Christie 's play, Witness for the Prosecution , the murder trial of Leonard Vole is held at the Old Bailey. It is also a central location in The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures and its sequel The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve , where many of
2574-687: The 1870s. We are not prepared to stand by and see it destroyed now." In August 2016 the Charity Commission announced a Statutory Inquiry into the potential loss due to granting of an easement for access rights to Putney Lower Common. In July 2020, nearly four years after the Inquiry commenced, the Charity Commission published the results of their Statutory Inquiry, concluding that the easement may have been transferred at an undervalue. Charity Commission Statutory Inquiry Conclusion On 4 August 2020, The Times newspaper published an article suggesting that
2673-688: The 1885–1886 season. The Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields, which form part of the Commons and are situated in Kingston Vale, provide football and rugby pitches for local schools and clubs. The grounds are currently home to London Cornish RFC , and was the training ground for Harlequins RL . It also hosts the annual National Schools Sevens rugby tournament. The grounds can also accommodate many different sports such as Australian Rules Football and Ultimate Frisbee. Hampton and Richmond Borough Juniors FC (Colts section of Hampton & Richmond Borough of
2772-400: The Act creates a power of arrest for any officer of the Conservators or a constable when the details of a person suspected of committing a byelaws offences cannot be obtained (e.g. details refused or suspected of being false). Whilst it is unlikely that this power would be used by anyone other than a Keeper in modern times, a theoretical power of arrest exists for any staff and for any member or
2871-560: The Annual Rifle Match between the Houses of Lords and Commons." The Association left Wimbledon in 1889 as the Meeting outgrew the ranges there, relocating for the 1890 Meeting at a new complex near Bisley , Surrey. Two broad, shallow pools, Kingsmere and Rushmere, lie near roads on the higher parts of Wimbledon Common and seem to be the result of gravel extraction. The more remote Queensmere
2970-634: The Bald Face Stag Inn. The inn was later knocked down and became the KLG factory, founded by Kenelm Lee Guinness , part of the famous brewing dynasty and a noted early motor racer before developing highly reliable auto and aero spark plugs. The factory site is now occupied by an Asda supermarket. Above the hill peak of the A3 at Tibbet's Corner – on the A219 towards Putney – stands an ancient wood fence cattle pound opposite
3069-500: The Charity Commission's Statutory Inquiry was a whitewash, as criticism of the deal and trustees was removed when the report was challenged by lawyers acting for Sir Ian Andrews. In the article the Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge questioned whether the commission was 'fit for purpose', due to the changes. Putney's MP, Fleur Anderson described the report as a 'whitewash'. The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act 1871 contains
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3168-447: The City of London and of Middlesex . In addition to sessions court, the Old Bailey also held trials, similar to the travelling Courts of Assize held in other parts of England and Wales. The original medieval court is first mentioned in 1585; it was next to the older Newgate Prison , and seems to have grown out of the endowment to improve the gaol and rooms for the sheriffs, made possible by
3267-483: The City of London are entitled to sit on the judges' bench during a hearing but do not participate in hearings. Where a ceremonial tradition is followed, a judge, sitting solo, will sit off-centre in case the Lord Mayor should decide to come in, in which case they would take the centre chair. The most senior permanent judge of the Central Criminal Court has the title of Recorder of London , and their deputy has
3366-538: The Common is home to The Wimbledon Common Golf Club and London Scottish Golf Club . The first University Golf Match was played on Wimbledon Common in 1878, courtesy of the LSGC. It also is the base for Thames Hare and Hounds , the oldest cross country running club in the world. Annually Thames Hare and Hounds host the 1st team (Blues) Varsity cross-country match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The Commons also provide some 16 miles of horse rides. In early 2012
3465-659: The French countryside. Following an investigation, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) released a report, dated 3 June 2010, into the actions of the Metropolitan Police Force and their handling of the murder investigation. It described a "catalogue of bad decisions and errors" by the Metropolitan Police which had resulted in Napper being free to kill Nickell. It said that officers missed
3564-537: The Green Man, adjacent to two huge plane trees near the bus terminus. This simple wood fence structure, used historically to contain lost livestock, has been listed as a Grade II listed structure since 1983. A number of fine homes lined Putney Hill and the north face of the heath, west of the Green Man. All had semi-circular carriageway entrances and exits. These included Grantham House, the residence of Lady Grantham; Ripon House; Ashburton House; and Exeter House, occupied by
3663-623: The Guards, and the Surrey Volunteers at the same spot in 1799. The 300th anniversary of the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment was marked in 1961 when a tercentenary monument was unveiled and blessed on the heath. According to Samuel Pepys , Charles II and his brother, the Duke of York used to run horses on the heath. A stone and brick obelisk was erected on Putney Heath in 1770, marking the 110th anniversary of
3762-692: The Imperial Meeting - the Association's National Championship. "These annual gatherings are attended by the élite of fashion, and always include a large number of ladies, who generally evince the greatest interest in the target practice of the various competitors, whether it be for the honour of carrying off the Elcho Shield, the Queen's or the Prince of Wales's Prize, or the shield shot for by our great Public Schools, or
3861-468: The Keepers on mounted patrol. The Conservators are responsible for the annual budget of around £1m. Most of the revenue comes from an annual levy on houses within 3 ⁄ 4 mile (1.2 kilometres) of the Commons. The levy payers are entitled to vote for the five elected Conservators. The levy payers fall within three London boroughs: Merton , Wandsworth (which includes Putney ) and Kingston . In 1864,
3960-511: The Nickell murder investigation. An internal review estimated that the pursuit had cost the public £3 million and that vital scientific information had been missed. Stagg sued the police for damages totalling £1 million following the fourteen months he spent in custody. He has co-written and published two books about the case: Who Really Killed Rachel? (with novelist David Kessler ) and, more recently, Pariah (with journalist Ted Hynds),
4059-568: The Old Bailey hears major criminal cases from within Greater London . In exceptional cases, trials may be referred to the Old Bailey from other parts of England and Wales. As with most courts in England and Wales, trials at the Old Bailey are open to the public, although they are subject to stringent security procedures. The court originated as the sessions house of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of
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4158-726: The Recorder is a member of the Common Council because he is also a member of the Court of Aldermen . The city's sheriffs and the Lord Mayor are justices there, but their jurisdiction is now nominal. The sheriffs are resident with the senior judges in the complex. Court 1 has benches set aside for the committee of City Bridge Foundation , the owner of the building. The Old Bailey has been mentioned and featured in numerous fictional works including film, video games and literature. Notable examples include V for Vendetta and its film adaptation , in which
4257-568: The Scotland Yard team interviewed convicted murderer Robert Napper for two days at Broadmoor. Napper, 40 years old at that time, had been diagnosed as having paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger syndrome and had been held at the secure institution for more than ten years. He had been convicted of the murder of Samantha Bisset and her four-year-old daughter, Jazmine, in November 1993, sixteen months after Nickell's homicide. On 28 November 2007, Napper
4356-530: The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators agreed to sell the access rights across Putney Common to Wandsworth Council, having been threatened with a Compulsory Purchase Order if they refused. Without public consultation the Conservators entered into legal agreements, in return for a payment of £350,000. Some local residents who objected to the sale of the access and loss of common to facilitate what they saw as an unattractive and over-intensive development challenged
4455-510: The area in World War II . One destroyed the club's pavilion, opposite the Telegraph pub, in July 1944, near the reservoir. Wildcroft Road, turning into Portsmouth Road and further along into the future A3, was the main thoroughfare into SW London and became a stop-off point for American serviceman who alighted from their jeeps to "taste this crazy cricket game". On the south side of the reservoir, in
4554-451: The building also housed the stenographers' offices until the stenographers were replaced by technology in March 2012. On 7 February 2024, around 1,500 people were forced to evacuate the building following a fire and reports of five separate explosions at the rear of the Central Criminal Court. Defendants on remand were returned to prison and juries were sent home. Until 2017, the court manager
4653-406: The case from 2000. In 2002, ten years after the killing, Scotland Yard used a cold case review team, which used refined DNA techniques only recently made available. A small team of officers and retired veteran investigators analysed statements from witnesses, reassessed files on a number of potential suspects and examined the possibility that the case was linked to other crimes. Officers compared
4752-528: The common and preserve it in its natural condition. The windmill stands near the centre of Wimbledon Common as usually understood; in fact the unmarked parish boundary with Putney Common runs right past it (line marked --- on the map). Here Robert Baden-Powell wrote parts of Scouting for Boys , which was published in 1908. In the 19th century the windmill was the headquarters of the National Rifle Association and drew large crowds each July for
4851-530: The common, where people saw that he was covered in blood and therefore discovered his mother's body. Officers of the Metropolitan Police undertook the investigation, under pressure to find the perpetrator by press coverage and public outrage at the circumstances of the murder. Thirty-two men were questioned in connection with the killing; the investigation quickly targeted Colin Stagg, a man from Roehampton who
4950-491: The cricket green during the week. This groundkeeper's transgression was later believed to have been a privilege of him being an honorary member. The Chelsea Water Company originally owned the reservoir site and allowed construction of the club pavilion on its property. The covered reservoir is now owned by Thames Water. Cricket matches continued during the war although some games started late or were drawn due to late starts or air raid sirens. Four German V-1 flying bombs struck
5049-517: The figure is not blindfolded: the courthouse brochures explain that this is because Lady Justice was originally not blindfolded, and because her "maidenly form" is supposed to guarantee her impartiality which renders the blindfold redundant. During the Blitz of the Second World War, the Old Bailey was bombed and severely damaged, but reconstruction work restored most of it in the early 1950s. In 1952,
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#17330847509155148-529: The future Edward VIII . The hospital was founded by malariologist Ronald Ross , who discovered that malaria was transmitted by mosquitoes. He won the 1902 Nobel Prize for his discovery. After his death and burial at nearby Putney Vale Cemetery in 1932, the financially strapped hospital was incorporated into the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in Keppel Street, central London. Bath House
5247-454: The grounds of diminished responsibility . Napper, who was already detained at high-security Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire for a 1993 double murder , was ordered to be detained there indefinitely. At the time of her death, Nickell was living near Wimbledon Common with partner André Hanscombe and their two-year-old son, Alexander Louis. Nickell was 23 years old at the time of her death. On
5346-454: The grounds that Stagg's descriptions of the murder were not nearly as close to the reality as the police had maintained. With no other evidence to present, the prosecution withdrew its case and Stagg was acquitted. Keith Pedder, the case's lead detective, received heavy public criticism. Even after Stagg was (rightfully as it later turned out) cleared of the murder of Nickell, Pedder continued over subsequent years to promote his theory that Stagg
5445-451: The injuries suffered by Nickell with other attacks and consulted forensic scientists about improvements in DNA matching. In July 2003, reports surfaced that, after 18 months of tests on Nickell's clothes, police had found a male DNA sample which did not match her boyfriend or son. The sample at the time was insufficient to confirm an identity, but was large enough to rule out suspects. In July 2006,
5544-530: The killing. Police released a taped conversation between the police officer and him in which she claimed to enjoy hurting people, to which he mumbled, "Please explain, as I live a quiet life. If I have disappointed you, please don't dump me. Nothing like this has happened to me before". When she went on to say, "If only you had done the Wimbledon Common murder, if only you had killed her, it would be all right", he replied, "I'm terribly sorry, but I haven't". Stagg
5643-460: The latter being published on the same day as the real culprit's appearance in court to enter a plea. In January 2007, the Home Office confirmed that Stagg would receive compensation for wrongful prosecution, with the amount to be set by an independent assessor. On 13 August 2008, it was announced that the compensation was £706,000. The undercover officer involved in the attempt to obtain evidence in
5742-399: The manslaughter of Rachel Nickell on the grounds of diminished responsibility . Mr Justice Griffith Williams said that Napper would be detained indefinitely at Broadmoor because he was "a very dangerous man". It is unlikely he will ever be released. At the same time, Stagg received a public apology from the Metropolitan Police for their previous involvement and prosecution of him in regard to
5841-463: The members of Parliament, the Lord Mayor, and the Aldermen. Since 1955 the obelisk has been a Grade II listed building. The adjacent Wildcroft Manor was formerly in the ownership of publishing magnate George Newnes , builder of Putney Library . In 1895 he was created a baronet "of Wildcroft, in the parish of Putney , in the county of London ". Many duels were fought on Putney Heath. In May 1652,
5940-431: The morning of 15 July 1992, she and Alexander were walking their dog on Wimbledon Common. Whilst passing through a secluded area of the common, Nickell was attacked. An assailant killed her by repeatedly stabbing and slashing her with a knife, then sexually assaulted her. The assailant fled the scene, leaving Alex physically unharmed in the vicinity. A passer-by found him clinging to his mother's blood-soaked body, repeating
6039-428: The most famous green in the neighbourhood of London. "In the early days of George III's reign it was celebrated for its public breakfasts and evening assemblies during the summer season. It was occupied for some time by Archbishop Cornwallis previous to Pitt taking up his residence there. During Pitt's ownership the house had large rooms for public breakfasts and assemblies, was a fashionable place of entertainment". Nearly
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#17330847509156138-402: The name Wimbledon and Putney Commons totalling 460 hectares (1,140 acres). Putney Lower Common is set apart from the rest of the Common by a minimum of 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) of the built-up western end of Putney . Wimbledon Common, together with Putney Heath and Putney Lower Common, is protected by the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act of 1871 from being enclosed or built upon. The common
6237-530: The natural state of the Common. The Conservators refused the sustainable transport charity Sustrans permission to upgrade an adjacent path to a cycle path on the grounds that it would "alter the natural state of the commons". The Open Spaces Society gave financial support to the residents in taking the case to the Court of Appeal, saying in December 2013: "This is a unique green lung, which the society helped to save back in
6336-414: The north side of the heath where Putney Hill meets Tibbet's Ride. After Abershaw's execution at Kennington, his body was hung in a chain gibbet on the heath, as a warning to others. The location on the heath is known as Jerry's Hill. It is viewable from the A3 near Putney Vale , slightly uphill from Putney Vale Cemetery where a number of famous people have since been buried or cremated. Abershaw frequented
6435-583: The original investigation by befriending him took early retirement from the Metropolitan Police force in 1998. With the support of the Police Federation , she sued the Metropolitan Police for damages arising from the investigation. In 2001, shortly before it was due to be heard, her case was settled out of court and she received £125,000. Her solicitor said: "The willingness of the Metropolitan Police to pay substantial damages must indicate their recognition that she sustained serious psychiatric injury". The payout
6534-462: The people is supreme " "Right lives by law and law subsists by power" "Poise the cause in justice's equal scales" "Moses gave unto the people the laws of God" "London shall have all its ancient rights" Between 1968 and 1972, a new South Block, designed by the architects Donald McMorran and George Whitby, was built to accommodate more modern courts. In 1973, the Belfast Brigade of
6633-500: The police. He later faced corruption charges, but the case was thrown out by the judge in a pre-trial hearing on the grounds of insufficient evidence. Every year on the anniversary of the killing Scotland Yard came under pressure for progress. In the late 1990s, Nickell's murder was re-investigated as part of Operation Enigma , which was a national cross-force investigation into the unsolved murders of 207 women. Under new management, detectives began to collate evidence and files related to
6732-428: The prison and St Sepulchre's church opposite the crossroads, to allow the chaplain to minister to the condemned without having to force his way through crowds; but there are no known primary sources or photographic evidence that indicate that it actually existed. The present building dates from 1902 and was officially opened by King Edward VII on 27 February 1907. It was designed by E. W. Mountford and co-occupies
6831-673: The public that they call upon for assistance. The historic role of the Keeper was captured in a 1959 British Pathé film, which showed them dressed in bowler hats and tweeds being inspected by the Warden (a former Lieutenant Colonel) before going about their daily routine of tackling summer fires and challenging golfers who were not in appropriate attire. 51°25′47″N 0°14′18″W / 51.42972°N 0.23833°W / 51.42972; -0.23833 Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales , commonly referred to as
6930-537: The remaining three are appointed by three government departments: the Department of the Environment , Ministry of Defence and Home Office . The Commons are managed by the Clerk and Ranger, supported by a Deputy, a Wildlife & Conservation Officer and a personal assistant. There are seven Mounted Keepers (who deal with public safety and security), two groundsmen (for the playing fields), six maintenance workers and one property maintenance worker – some 23 employees in total. There are at least four horses which are used by
7029-430: The restored interior of the Grand or Great Hall of the Central Criminal Court was once again open. This hall (underneath the dome) is decorated with paintings commemorating the Blitz, as well as quasi-historical scenes of St Paul's Cathedral with nobles outside. Running around the entire hall are a series of axioms, some of biblical reference. They read: "The law of the wise is a fountain of life" " The welfare of
7128-496: The sale in the High Court, which ruled that the Conservators had not acted beyond their powers. Some local residents also objected to Wandsworth's planning permissions for the site (where Wandsworth were both the applicant and planning authority), and two permissions were quashed by the High Court in early 2013 over technicalities. The technicalities were corrected and the planning permission subsequently re-obtained. The residents made
7227-579: The site of the demolished prison. Above the main entrance is inscribed the admonition: "Defend the Children of the Poor & Punish the Wrongdoer". On the dome above the court stands the court's symbolic gilt bronze statue of Lady Justice by sculptor F. W. Pomeroy (made 1905–1906). She holds a sword in her right hand and the scales of justice in her left. The statue is popularly supposed to show blind Justice , but
7326-418: The sixteenth century, when it was attached to the medieval Newgate Prison . The current main building block was completed in 1902, designed by Edward William Mountford ; its monumental architecture is recognised and protected as a Grade II* listed building . An extension, South Block, was constructed in 1972, over the former site of Newgate Prison which had been demolished in 1904. The Crown Court sitting in
7425-465: The smith's shop, lying west of the highway from Richmond to Wandsworth, being the sign of the Anchor.' The plot of ground here referred to is now covered by the Green Man public house." The wilderness was for many years a noted rendezvous for highwaymen. In 1795, the notorious highwayman Jeremiah Abershaw – also known as Jerry Avershaw – was caught in the pub (now owned by Wandsworth brewery Young's , ) on
7524-532: The southern end of the common on the part used by the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club , but with a public footpath running through the middle, are the remains of an Iron Age hill fort known (in fact only since the 19th century) as Caesar's Camp. Though the main period of use as an oppidum seems to have been the 6th to 4th centuries BC, there is some evidence that it was indeed stormed by the Romans, probably in
7623-598: The telephone and exchanging letters containing sexual fantasies. During a meeting in Hyde Park , they spoke about the Nickell homicide; he later said that he had only played along with the topic because he wanted to pursue the romance . Profiler Paul Britton later said that he disagreed with use of the fantasy-filled letters and knew nothing of them until after they had been sent. The undercover officer won Stagg's confidence and drew out fantasies from him that psychologist Paul Britton interpreted as "violent", but he did not admit to
7722-553: The title of Common Serjeant of London . The position of "Recorder of London" is distinct from that of a recorder , which is a part-time judicial office, holders of which sit part-time as judges of the Crown Court or County Court. The recent Recorders of London have been: The court house originated as part of the City of London 's borough judicial system, and it remains so. The Recorder and the Common Serjeant are city officers, and
7821-504: The trials in the games' plot take place. Rumpole of the Bailey is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer , in which Horace Rumpole, an elderly London barrister, defends a broad variety of clients, often underdogs. In The Pirates of Penzance , upon defeating the police, the pirates declare that "No pirate band will take its stand / At
7920-429: The triangle of land between Wildcroft Road, Tibbet's Ride and the Green Man, is a large clearing of land. A funfair is set up on the grounds each October, lasting for one week. Ground rent is paid by the touring company to the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators, as part of the income of the charity. In August 1730 a cricket match between Putney and Fulham was played, reportedly for "50 guineas per side". It
8019-446: The whole area of Putney Hill and West Hill, leading into Putney Heath, as wealthy or well-to-do. Despite a full array of places of worship, he said the area was noted for low church attendance with all denominations "struggling for the souls of pleasure-seeking Putney ... the middle class here are as indifferent as the poor elsewhere." At the top of Putney Hill, the road taking that name veers off Tibbet's Ride at Putney Heath Lane (which
8118-469: The words "Wake up, Mummy", with a piece of paper stuck to her forehead as a bandage. In a television interview on 7 September 2021 with Lorraine Kelly , discussing the documentary Death on the Common: My Mother's Murder, Alex Hanscombe said after his mother had been attacked, he said to her three times "wake up, Mummy" before realising she was "gone" and not playing. He then walked into a clearing on
8217-410: Was a poisoner and murderer. This led to fears that he could not receive a fair trial in his native Staffordshire . The Central Criminal Court Act 1856 was passed to enable his trial, and others with a public profile, to be held at the Old Bailey. In London cant it was called The Gate , an abbreviation of Newgate. The Old Bailey adjoined Newgate Prison until the jail's 1902 closure. Hangings were
8316-411: Was born on the north side of the heath circa 1485. He became a statesman who served as chief minister of Henry VIII and an agent of Cardinal Wolsey . In the 19th century his birthplace was still a place of note. "The site of Cromwell's birthplace is still pointed out by tradition, and is in some measure confirmed by the survey of Wimbledon Manor... for it describes on that spot 'an ancient cottage called
8415-408: Was charged with Nickell's murder. He appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on 4 December 2007, where he was granted bail on condition he remained at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital until another hearing on 20 December 2007. On 24 January 2008, he pleaded not guilty to Nickell's murder and the trial started on 11 November 2008. On 18 December 2008, at the Old Bailey , Napper pleaded guilty to
8514-441: Was dismissed due to the time delay in bringing proceedings. André Hanscombe later wrote a book titled The Last Thursday in July about his life with Nickell, coping with the homicide, and life with their son afterwards. In 1996, he moved with their child to France, driven abroad, according to notes in his book, by media intrusion. He was strongly critical of some of the reporters who tracked him and his son down to his "sanctuary" in
8613-472: Was formerly known as Cut-Through Lane). Seven grand homes once lined the east side of this part of Putney Hill. It is now a no-through-road leading to Tibbet's Corner. Several of the mansions remain. The most southern of the homes was named Bath House, which included a keeper's lodge and large grounds. In 1926 it was opened as the Ross Institute and Hospital for Tropical Diseases by the then Prince of Wales,
8712-418: Was guilty. He told an ITV Real Crime documentary in 2001: Colin Stagg has been through a version of justice, albeit truncated, and he has been found not guilty. But I wonder whether he can actually say hand on heart that he believes people will meet him in the street and believe that. I do not believe the system served anybody that particular day. After Stagg's acquittal, Pedder took early retirement from
8811-604: Was known by the title of the Secondary of the City of London , an ancient title of a City officer. His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service manages the courts and administers the trials but the building itself is owned by the City of London Corporation , which finances the maintenance and running of the building and the staff costs out of their own resources. All judges sitting in the Old Bailey are addressed as " My Lord " or "My Lady", whether they are High Court , circuit judges or recorders . The Lord Mayor and aldermen of
8910-419: Was known to walk his dog on the Common. As there was no forensic evidence linking him to the scene, the police asked Paul Britton, a criminal psychologist , to create an offender profile of the killer. They decided that he fitted the profile and asked the psychologist to assist with designing a covert operation, code-named Operation Edzell, to see whether he would eliminate or implicate himself. This operation
9009-504: Was later criticised by the media and the trial judge as effectively a " honeytrap ". An undercover policewoman from the Metropolitan Police Special Operations Group ( SO10 ) contacted Stagg, posing as a friend of a woman with whom he used to be in contact via a lonely hearts' column. Over five months, she attempted to obtain information from him by feigning a romantic interest, meeting him, speaking to him on
9108-421: Was later demolished and mansion flats built on the property. In memory of its history the block was named Ross Court. Within the grounds remains an older dwelling named Ross Cottage. The village green at the corner of Wildcroft and Telegraph roads is still used by Roehampton Cricket Club, established in 1842. The club has played there continuously since 1859 when the lord of the manor, Earl Spencer, suggested it as
9207-401: Was nevertheless arrested and charged on the basis of claims that he had described aspects of the murder scene that only the killer would have known. When the case reached the Old Bailey in September 1994, Mr Justice Ognall ruled that the police had shown "excessive zeal" and had tried to incriminate Stagg by "deceptive conduct of the grossest kind". He excluded all the entrapment evidence on
9306-453: Was over 6 feet tall. Without these errors, Robert Napper could have been off the streets before he killed Rachel Nickell and the Bissets, and before numerous women suffered violent sexual attacks at his hands". Detectives had decided to exclude anyone over 6 feet based on the description of a 5' 7" rapist; however, there were conflicting witness reports of the rapist's height, and Napper walked with
9405-471: Was owned by J. D. Charrington of brewing fame; and Dover House was the seat originally of Lord Dover , afterwards of Lord Clifden . With the development of transport routes for the growing financial sector, Putney Heath became highly desirable for City gentlemen in the 1890s, and they were initially known as "outsiders". Dover House was owned at the turn of the 20th century by the famous US financier J. P. Morgan . Social researcher Charles Booth classified
9504-463: Was published in draft in 1864, whereby the article suggests that the Bill contained a provision for the appointment of Special Constables with full police powers. It would seem that this provision was removed in favour of the provision that allowed the attestation of constables just for the purposes of enforcing the Act itself and the byelaws made there under. In addition to the ability to swear in constables,
9603-534: Was rebuilt again in 1774 and a second courtroom was added in 1824. Over 100,000 criminal trials were carried out at the Old Bailey between 1674 and 1834. In 1834, it was renamed from the Assize Court for London to the Central Criminal Court. The court was envisaged as that where only criminals accused of crimes committed in the City and Middlesex were tried. However, in 1856, there was public revulsion at complaints sent to police against doctor William Palmer that he
9702-449: Was walking with her two-year-old son on Wimbledon Common when she was stabbed 49 times in the neck and torso and died at the scene. A lengthy police investigation to find the perpetrator followed, during which a suspect was wrongfully charged and later acquitted—before the case went cold . In 2002, with more advanced forensic techniques, the case was reopened. On 18 December 2008, Robert Napper pleaded guilty to Nickell's manslaughter on
9801-575: Was widely criticised by various sources, particularly as Nickell's son had been granted £22,000 (less than a fifth of the amount paid to the undercover detective) from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority . The criminal psychologist involved with the investigation was charged with professional misconduct by the British Psychological Society , but in 2002, in lieu of any substantive hearings, further action
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