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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Stagg wins £700,000 compensation | Stagg wins £700,000 compensation |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The man wrongly accused of the murder of Rachel Nickell in Wimbledon in 1992 has won £706,000 in compensation. | The man wrongly accused of the murder of Rachel Nickell in Wimbledon in 1992 has won £706,000 in compensation. |
| Colin Stagg, 44, who was cleared of the killing in 1994, said: "What pleases me even more than the money, is that this is effectively a public apology." | Colin Stagg, 44, who was cleared of the killing in 1994, said: "What pleases me even more than the money, is that this is effectively a public apology." |
| Ms Nickell, 23, was stabbed 49 times in a frenzied attack on Wimbledon Common in front of her two-year-old son. | Ms Nickell, 23, was stabbed 49 times in a frenzied attack on Wimbledon Common in front of her two-year-old son. |
| Robert Napper, 41, was charged with the former model's murder in November last year and is awaiting trial. | Robert Napper, 41, was charged with the former model's murder in November last year and is awaiting trial. |
| Mr Stagg's lawyer Alex Tribick said the payout from the Home Office was set by an independent assessor, Lord Brennan. | Mr Stagg's lawyer Alex Tribick said the payout from the Home Office was set by an independent assessor, Lord Brennan. |
| Mr Stagg, of Roehampton, south-west London, was acquitted of the murder when the judge threw out the case on the grounds police had used a "honey trap" plot to encourage him to confess. | Mr Stagg, of Roehampton, south-west London, was acquitted of the murder when the judge threw out the case on the grounds police had used a "honey trap" plot to encourage him to confess. |
| Lie detector | Lie detector |
| Mr Stagg said the payout was like "winning the lottery" and said he thought his solicitor was joking when he told him the news. | |
| "A lot of wild figures have been bandied about, but what I wanted more than money was for people in the street to realise they got it wrong about me," Mr Stagg said. | "A lot of wild figures have been bandied about, but what I wanted more than money was for people in the street to realise they got it wrong about me," Mr Stagg said. |
| I'm now slowly realising that I have a future after all and that's a great feeling Colin Stagg | |
| Mr Stagg said he would make a few modest purchases, but would not go on a spending spree. | |
| "I would like to buy my council flat where I've lived for over 30 years and I want to put in a new bathroom and kitchen and make a few changes in the garden. And of course make sure I've got food on my table and my bills paid." | |
| He said the stigma of his arrest has compromised his ability to work. | |
| "The best thing is being able to get off the dole - I'm a proud man who has never been afraid of work but nobody in the countless interviews I've attended has wanted to take me on." | |
| Rachel Nickell, a former model, was killed in front of her two-year-old son | Rachel Nickell, a former model, was killed in front of her two-year-old son |
| Mr Stagg said his new financial reality, and the peace of mind that comes with it, is still sinking in and that he might pursue a small business idea. | |
| "I'm now slowly realising that I have a future after all and that's a great feeling." | |
| Mr Tribick said the offer came in a letter from the Office of Criminal Justice Reform following an application for compensation. | |
| Mr Tribick said Lord Brennan had submitted a "carefully considered and reasoned" 70-page document supporting the award. | |
| The case was widely seen as a low point in the recent history of the Metropolitan Police. | The case was widely seen as a low point in the recent history of the Metropolitan Police. |
| Mr Stagg, who lived near to the murder scene and who walked his dog on the common, spent 13 months in custody. | |
| He always maintained his innocence and later passed a lie detector test. | He always maintained his innocence and later passed a lie detector test. |