LONDON â Robert Sabat has been jailed for life for murdering his former partner Dickiesha Nurse just days after leaving prison, a case that has drawn fresh scrutiny to how violent offenders are released and supervised in England and Wales.
Sabat, 60, admitted murdering the 42-year-old mother of two at her home in Tulse Hill, south London. The Old Bailey sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.
The timing of the killing is a central part of the case. Sabat was released on licence from HMP Wandsworth on October 17, 2025, one day after he was sentenced to 12 months for possession of a bladed article and harassment. He had already been held on remand since May.
Days after prison release, concerns grew at Nurse’s home
The court heard that Sabat and Nurse had previously been in a relationship and had known each other for many years.
Two days after Sabat was released, Nurse’s children visited her. They later told their father that a man they described as her âfriend or cousinâ had been inside the property.
By October 22, Nurse had told a neighbour that Sabat was at her home and would not leave. Another neighbour later saw her outside telling him to get out of the house.
Two days later, a neighbour heard a scream coming from the property. Nurse was last seen on CCTV on October 25.
Her children went to the flat the following day but received no response. On October 27, concerned relatives raised the alarm.
Paramedics withdrew after knife confrontation
When paramedics entered the flat, prosecutors said Sabat charged toward one of them while carrying a knife.
The ambulance crew and family members withdrew before police were called. Armed officers later forced their way into the property and used Tasers while detaining Sabat.
Officers found Nurse on a bed with a pillow over her face. She had suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination found about eight stab wounds, including injuries to her face, neck and hands.
Investigators also recovered a knife bearing Nurse’s blood, prison documents in Sabat’s name and a bag marked âHMP valuables.â
The case comes amid continued concern over serious knife crime and emergency responses in London and elsewhere, including the Bromley High Street stabbing investigation and a separate Luton knife incident involving armed police.
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Sabat told police he wanted to go back to jail
After his arrest, Sabat made a series of disturbing statements to officers, telling them he wanted to return to prison and claiming he had previously killed people.
He also spoke about going on a âmurder spree.â Those comments were presented in court as statements Sabat made to police and should not be treated as proof that he committed other killings.
Prosecutors said his criminal history dated back to 1987 and included burglary, assault, wounding with intent, knife possession and harassment involving a former partner.
He had previously been subject to a non-molestation order. In 2023, he was also given a restraining order after being cleared of attempted murder when the complainant did not attend court.
The prison-release rule behind Sabat’s release
Sabat was released at a time when eligible prisoners serving standard determinate sentences could leave custody after serving 40% of their sentence under the SDS40 system.
The policy was introduced in 2024 as part of efforts to reduce pressure on overcrowded prisons. Ministry of Justice data confirms that qualifying prisoners whose previous conditional release point was 50% could instead be released at the 40% stage, subject to eligibility rules.
The Ministry of Justice SDS40 release data provides official background on how the scheme operated in England and Wales.
The legal framework has since changed. The Sentencing Act 2026 provides for some prisoners serving standard determinate sentences to become eligible for automatic release at the one-third point, although different rules continue to apply to certain offences and sentence types.
Sabat’s release date does not establish that the release policy caused Nurse’s murder. But the short period between his return to the community and the killing has made his case particularly significant in the wider debate about risk assessment, licence conditions and probation supervision.
Family remembers Dickiesha Nurse as loving and kind
In a victim impact statement, Nurse’s sister Samantha Carvalho described Sabat as a âmenace to societyâ and said the cruelty of the killing was difficult for the family to comprehend.
Nurse’s mother, Claudette McBean, remembered her daughter as kind and loving and described her as the âlife and soul of the party.â
The life sentence means Sabat must serve the minimum term set by the court before he can be considered for release. Reaching that point does not guarantee that he will be freed.
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