Detectives issue warning after teacher Sabina Nessa, 28, ‘was murdered by a stranger’

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Primary school teacher Sabina Nessa was on her way to a first date in the pub when she was murdered during a five-minute walk through the park, MailOnline can reveal.

The 28-year-old left her home on Astell Road after arranging to meet a man at The Depot bar in Pegler Square, Kidbrooke Village, south-east London, last Friday night but she never made it. 

She was attacked in a park at around 8.30pm, and her body found on Saturday near the OneSpace community centre hidden under a pile of leaves. Reports have suggested her attacker was a stranger. 

No one reported her missing after she failed to make the rendez-vous, said police.

A friend told MailOnline: ‘Sabina was going on a date on Friday night when she left her flat. It was a first date. She was going to meet this guy in the local pub, The Depot.

‘I don’t know whether they knew each other before or they had met online but I know it was a first date.’ 

The revelation comes as Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry says police are concerned the killer could strike again as investigations into her murder continue, but said there was nothing to suggest it would happen.

Last night, Ms Nessa’s sister took to social media to commemorate her, writing: ‘My beautiful, talented & caring sister. My inspiration to always put myself first & never let anybody put me down.

‘Never in my life did I or my sisters or my mum or dad think this could happen to us. May Allah grant her Jannah. Ameen #SabinaNessa’.

She added in a separate tweet: ‘3 sisters down to 2. Pls make dua for her. No mother or father should have to go through this, may Allah grant my parents ease.’ 

Parallels are being drawn to the horrific murder of 33-year-old marketing executive Sarah Everard in March, amid fresh fury that women could not walk through Britain’s streets alone without fearing for their lives. 

And in June 6 last year, sisters Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, were stabbed to death in a Wembley park in a random attack by 19-year-old Danyal Hussein, who believed he was acting on the orders of a demon.  

Reclaim These Streets, an organisation campaigning for the safety of women and girls which has organised a vigil for tomorrow, said: ‘This is an epidemic of violence against women. Enough with reports, what is the actual plan to keep us safe and alive?’

Detective Inspector Joe Garrity said: ‘Sabina’s journey should have taken just over five minutes but she never made it to her destination.

‘We know the community are rightly shocked by this murder – as are we – and we are using every resource available to us to find the individual responsible.’

Detectives are probing whether she was attacked by a stranger – leaving locals fearful of returning to the usually busy park often packed with dog walkers and joggers. 

Det Insp Garrity added the investigation was making good progress and appealed for anyone with information to get in touch: ‘We believe there are still others out there who may have information that could help.’  

It is believed a stranger may have targeted Ms Nessa before dumping her body in a meadow. 

A man in his forties was arrested on suspicion of murder a few hours after her body was found by a dog walker. But yesterday he was released under investigation pending further inquiries.

Nessa’s cousin Zubel Ahmed told ITV News the family remain ‘inconsolable’ and revealed she was just ‘five minutes’ from her own home.

He said: ‘The shock has not sunk in. She was a beautiful, kind, caring soul. I express my deepest sympathies for her sisters, mum and dad are absolutely devastated. 

‘Nothing is making sense to us, why was she taken from us we just don’t know. She was the sweetest person, sweetest girl, I don’t understand how someone can do this it’s a big loss to our family.’

The primary school teacher, originally from Bedfordshire, is understood to have been just minutes from her home when she was attacked near the OneSpace Community Centre in Cator Park at around 8.30pm on Friday, September 17.  

Her body lay undiscovered for several hours because it was ‘off the main park walkway’, according to police. There are fears she may have been murdered by a stranger. 

A post-mortem examination was inconclusive and further tests will now be carried out to establish a cause of death. 

The case has chilling connection to the killing of Sarah Everard, who was  snatched off the street as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, south London, on March 3 by Met Police firearms officer Wayne Couzens.

Her body was found a week later in woodland near Ashford, Kent, just yards from land owned by Couzens, 48. She had been raped and strangled.

Six months later, and women are continuing to speak out about their lack of safety on British streets – with a recent poll finding as many as 48 per cent of women do not feel safe walking alone. 

Ms Nessa’s death has sparked a wave of fury over women killed in public spaces in London this year – with campaigners urging action on the ‘epidemic of violence’ facing women.

Campaign group Our Streets Now said: ‘Please, stop telling us we’re overreacting. Sabina Ness, Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman. And these are just the names that we remember.

‘Male violence is killing us. It’s restricting our right to be free and equal citizens. We need change, now.’ 

The Year 1 teacher had worked for just over a year at Rushey Green Primary School, three miles away in Catford. 

Before landing her first teaching job, she studied sociology at Greenwich University in south-east London and went on to complete a teaching postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire. 

Miss Nessa also had a qualification from Cambridge to teach English as a foreign language. 

Today, London mayor Sadiq Khan called violence against women and girls an ‘epidemic’ and called on men to be ‘allies’.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Mr Khan said misogyny should be made a hate crime, and harassment in a public space against women should be a criminal offence.

He said: ‘Between last year’s International Women’s Day and this year’s International Women’s Day, 180 women were killed at the hands of men across the country.

‘We do have an epidemic when it comes to violence against women and girls.

‘I think us men have got to be allies in addressing this issue.’

Yesterday, Mr Khan said he was ‘heartbroken’ at news of her passing and tweeted: ‘I’m heartbroken by the death of Sabina Nessa. My thoughts are with her family, friends and the whole community. 

‘I urge anyone who was in the area to contact the Met – any information will be vital in the investigation and help bring the perpetrator to justice.  

‘Women and girls deserve to feel safe at all times, in every part of our city, and I remain committed and determined to making our city safer.’

Headteacher at her Lewisham school, Lisa Williams, said yesterday: ‘We are devastated by Sabina’s tragic death. She was a brilliant teacher; she was kind, caring and absolutely dedicated to her pupils. 

‘She had so much life ahead of her and so much more to give and her loss is desperately sad. 

‘As a school we are supporting each other through this very difficult time, and we will be providing specialist support to those who need it.’ 

It came as residents told MailOnline they now fear leaving their homes after dark following Ms Nessa’s death.  

One resident aged 33 who only gave her named as Naey said: ‘I’ve been wary of going out after dark every since I heard about them finding the body. 

‘I use the park to come from the station as a shortcut. There’s always people coming and going.

‘It’s scary and unnerving that it has happened so close to the main road. There surely must have been witnesses. I can’t quite believe it.’ 

George Williams, 41, who has operated his mobile fish and chip van Billingsgate Wrap regularly from the new Kidbrooke Village apartment complex over the last three years, said: ‘This is absolutely shocking. 

‘If it is a random attack by a stranger then it is extremely worrying for everyone who lives around here. I hope the police can catch whoever committed this terrible crime. 

‘The park is very open and exposed but is usually pretty busy with joggers and walkers. Surely someone must have saw something.’ 

Officers revealed they were stepping up patrols and increasing their presence around the Kidbrooke Village neighbourhood for the next week.

Meanwhile, investigators told the Evening Standard that ‘a number of crime scenes are in place’ and a massive forensic inquiry is underway as they continue to investigate the alleged murder. 

A large section of Cator park between Cambert Way and the edge of the Kidbrooke Park Village housing development remains sealed off with police tape. 

The cordoned off area includes the One Space Community Centre, tennis courts and skatepark.

A candlelit vigil in memory of Sabina Nessa is set to take place on Friday evening at Peglar Square.

Organisers are encouraging people to bring their own candles to light as they pay respects to Ms Nessa. 

Reclaim These Streets, an organisation campaigning for the safety of women and girls which planned a vigil for Sarah Everard in March, said in a statement: ‘We are angry and heartbroken to hear about the loss of yet another woman. 

‘This is an epidemic of violence against women. Enough with reports, what is the actual plan to keep us safe and alive?’ 

Safeguarding minister Rachel Maclean told the House of Commons: ‘Every woman who loses their life is one woman too much and we are devastated to hear of the loss of the life of Sabina Nessa. Our hearts go out to the family.

‘This is a Government that is passing legislation, setting out actions and tackling these horrific crimes and we are determined to see a reduction in them.’