Witness. (Left to Right) Max Fincham as Alex Hanscombe, Jordan Bolger as Andre Hanscombe in The Witness. Ten million. Courtesy of Sophie Kohler/Netflix © 2026
of netflix Witness It not only depicts the heartbreaking murder of Rachel Nickell, but it also explores the emotional journey of her husband Andre and son Alex over 15 years of hardship. If you’ve finished the series and are interested in where the case, as well as both Alex and Andre, stand today, here’s our overview.
three-part true crime drama Witness Now streaming on Netflix. The series depicts the tragic murder of mother Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common in 1992, who was stabbed more than 40 times in broad daylight, with no witnesses apart from Alex (played by Jahsiah Williams and Max Fincham), her 2-year-old child standing by her side. The series also explores the impact it has on the life of her husband Andre (played by Jordan Bolger), who becomes a single father overnight. Besides Andre and Alex’s emotional journey at its core, Witness It also covered extensive media coverage on the case, particularly the police investigation to find the culprit. The investigation alone generated huge public interest, following a covert operation to sting Colin Stagg, who was ultimately proven innocent. Both Andre and Alex finally received justice after 15 years with the arrest and prosecution of Robert Napper.
To dramatize the events of Rachel Nickell’s murder, series creator Rob Williams and crew enlisted the help of both Andre and Alex Hanscombe, bringing them on board as direct consultants. Their involvement helped shape the series, keeping it authentic and true to life. Alex and Andre Hanscombe said, “Our life has been a war.” “We can never express how grateful we are to everyone who has been a part of this, for the kindness and generosity they have given us, the opportunity they have given us, and the care they have taken in bringing our story to the screen. Our journey has been by the grace of God and the promise of moving forward together, and we feel incredibly blessed to be able to share our story in this way. We hope audiences will be left with a testament to the uphill battle of life that we all face.” And the power of faith, hope, love – and the power of never giving up.”
‘The Witness’ ending explained: What happens to Andre and Alex?
Witness. (Left to Right) Jahsiah Williams as Alex Hanscombe, Jordan Bolger as Andre Hanscombe in The Witness. Ten million. Courtesy of Anna Blumenkron/Netflix © 2026
witness meIt is unique in the fact that it does not focus on the police investigation, but rather on the powerful emotional journey between father-son Andre and Alex. After the murder of Rachel Nickell. In the weeks and months following the murder, both Andre and Alex faced heavy harassment from the press and general public. He was unable to live a peaceful life due to being constantly caught in the middle of the media storm. As a result, Andre decided to flee London and move elsewhere.
First, they moved to France, where André was able to raise his son in relatively stable circumstances. However, it was not long before The British media tracked his address and attention began to increase again. At the time, the killer had not been caught, and making his address public was a worrying security concern for Andre. Andre’s concerns about breach of confidentiality were extremely serious, so much so that he kept a bag near the door in case of a breach of confidentiality.
While Andre and Alex are away from the UK, the police investigation becomes bigger. They believed the killer was Colin Stagg, described by the local community as a ‘lonely’ man, who was present on Wimbledon Common on the day of the murder. The police conducted a secret sting operation to extract a confession from him. Despite intense police pressure, Stagg was completely innocent in the case.
Due to Andre’s steadfast caution, Alex faced conflict with his father several times during his teenage years. He became a rebellious teenager who misbehaved at school and was extremely outspoken. Their relationship deteriorates. Later, when Alex reaches adulthood, he and his father have a heart-to-heart moment. Alex tells his father, “I told you once that I didn’t respect you, Dad. And I meant it.” “I don’t feel that way anymore. I have nothing but respect for what you’ve done for me.”
In 1996, he fled France and eventually settled in Barcelona, Spain. There they found a more permanent sanctuary. In 2005, while in Spain, André is informed that the police have discovered the real killer to be Robert Napper. The show reflects on this realization at the beginning of episode 3. Furthermore, it is revealed that the police had monitored Robert Napper in the case earlier, and had missed several opportunities to capture him. This includes a first-hand report from Napper’s mother revealing that her son confessed to the rape. The police never acted on the report. The ending confirms that the father had launched an official complaint against the Metropolitan Police Service due to the classified Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which included serious evidence on police incompetence.
With Napper formally charged in 2007, Andre and Alex are able to settle peacefully in Spain with long-term hopes, free from the worry that the killer is still roaming free.
where are Andre and Alex Hanscombe today?
Image Credit: Line Garten/Netflix
Following both the arrest and conviction of Robert Napper in 2008 Andre and Alex Hanscombe continue to live in Spain. He moved back to London sometime in the summer of 2024 to work as a consultant on the Netflix series.
In adulthood, Alex Hanscombe has focused on a career path in mindfulness and mental wellness. He has worked as a yoga teacher and hypnotherapist.
andre Also published a book about the story in 1996, titled last thursday of julyintended as a Memoirs about Rachel Nickell.
Before we leave you, here are a few more questions you might have asked at the end of the Netflix series and companion document:
- When was Robert Napper charged with the murder of Rachel Nickell? Robert Napper was officially charged in 2007 with the 1992 murder of Rachel Nickell. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility in December 2008. The judge deemed Napper a “very dangerous man” and he was sentenced to indefinite detention at Broadmoor Hospital. Most likely he will spend the rest of his life in this facility. Napper was already detained at the facility for other crimes at the time.
- What happened to Colin Stagg? After the sentencing of Robert Napper, Colin Stagg was awarded £706,000 in compensation by the Home Office after finding that he suffered a miscarriage of justice.
- And who got compensation? Lizzie James, the female police officer who was secretly tasked with getting Stagg to confess to the crime by showing interest in him, developed PTSD after the job. In 2001, she took legal action against the Metropolitan Police and received between £125,000–£200,000 in compensation. This was reported by the BBC in 2001.
- Did the police apologize for the ill-treatment of Colin Stagg? In 2008, Assistant Commissioner John Yates publicly declared that Colin Stagg was “completely innocent”. (many times). This moment was one of the most significant apologies in British police history.
To delve deeper into the story, Netflix has released a companion documentary, murder of rachel nickelWhich is streaming now.
