Credit: Netflix

Netflix’s June lineup is finally just days away, and in the first week of the month itself, a hard-hitting three-part drama, The Witness, inspired by the shocking 1922 murder of Rachel Nickell, is set for release globally.

Premiering on June 4th, the forthcoming series will be accompanied by a documentary titled The Murder of Rachel Nickell, directed and produced by Lucy Bowen, comprising exclusive archive footage and insights from forensic experts, revisiting the true crime behind the drama series.

Rachel Nickell was a 23-year-old mother who was unsuspectingly walking on Wimbledon Common with her two-year-old son, Alex Hanscombe, in July 1992, when she was stabbed 49 times in broad daylight, leaving the child as the sole witness. The Witness opens with this shocking crime that shook the nation, with the core focus of the series based on the experiences of Alex and André Hanscombe, right in the immediate aftermath of the “brutal act of violence.”

Rachel’s ruthless murder made André a single parent overnight, who had to navigate an unprecedented grief and mounting media attention, redirecting his entire focus on “the welfare of his traumatised son.” As a result, Rachel’s partner initially took Alex to live in rural France out of fear for his son’s safety, as he was the only witness and the killer was still on the loose.

Following several months of investigation, Colin Stagg, a dog walker, was named the primary suspect. He was in custody for 13 months until a judge cleared him in 1994. The authorities drew massive criticism and backlash for the “honey trap” methods that were used to lure a confession out of him. He was later compensated £706,000 to help rebuild his life.

The case that catalyses The Witness was finally reopened in 2002, when advanced DNA techniques brought convicted murderer Robert Napper into the frame as a suspect. Napper was later found guilty of Nickell’s murder, leading to his conviction in 2008. As of now, he’s reportedly detained indefinitely at Broadmoor Hospital (via woman&home).

Netflix has roped in an ensemble cast to bring the dramatised series to life, featuring Jordan Bolger, James Bradshaw, James Dryden, Max Fincham, Kerry Godliman, Neil Maskell, Jon Pointing, Claire Rushbrook, and Mark Stanley, among others.

The Netflix synopsis of The Witness highlights how “putting his own grief to one side, [André] he made his son Alex – the only eyewitness to the attack – the centre of his world.” “Navigating the unscrupulous media furore and the urgency of an increasingly desperate police investigation, his sole concern became the welfare of his traumatised son. This is the story of how a father and son moved through the aftermath of unimaginable tragedy, from darkness to light.”

Rob Williams is both the creator and writer for The Witness, with Alex and André Hanscombe serving as consultants on the series.