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Man Jailed for Life for Killing Ex-Partner Days After Early Release

Murderer served 40% of knife possession sentence before killing mother of two

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Robert Sabat, 60, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 17 years at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to murdering his former partner, 42-year-old Dickiesha Nurse. Sabat had been released on licence from HMP Wandsworth on 17 October 2025, the day after he was sentenced to 12 months for possession of a bladed article and harassment, under new government rules that allowed automatic release after serving 40% of the sentence. Days later, he stabbed Ms Nurse at her flat in Tulse Hill, south London.

The court heard that when arrested on suspicion of murder, Sabat told officers: "I'm a murderer, I don't want to come back out, I wanna go to jail... I've been let out a week. Let me back... I'm happy." He claimed he was planning a "murder spree".

The case has focused attention on the government's change to automatic release dates, which began in September 2025 and allowed offenders to be released after serving 40% of their sentence rather than the previous 50%. Last week, the Sentencing Act 2026 replaced that policy, meaning some prisoners can now be released after serving a third of their sentence.

Sabat had been on remand since May 2025 for knife possession and harassment before being sentenced in October 2025. His early release under the new rules lasted only days before he killed Ms Nurse. The judge imposed a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • This tragic case raises serious questions about the safety of early release policies that prioritise prison capacity over public protection.
  • It highlights failures in risk assessment and monitoring of violent offenders released on licence.
  • The Sentencing Act 2026, which further reduces the minimum time served, may face renewed scrutiny.

Background

The UK government introduced changes to automatic release dates from September 2025, allowing some offenders to be released after serving 40% of their sentence, rather than the previous 50%, to reduce prison overcrowding. Robert Sabat was one of the first prisoners released under these new rules. Last week, Parliament passed the Sentencing Act 2026, which goes further, allowing release after one third of a sentence.

Key Perspectives

Victim's family and domestic violence campaigners: They argue that early release policies are reckless and fail to protect women from known offenders. The case of Dickiesha Nurse is a devastating example of a system that prioritises targets over lives. Government and prison reform advocates: They counter that blanket sentencing reforms are necessary to manage prison populations and that individual risk assessments are the responsibility of the Parole Board and probation services. They say the new Act improves on the previous rules. Critics: They point to a pattern of serious offences committed by those released early, arguing that automatic release without thorough risk assessment endangers the public. The swiftness of this tragedy suggests no meaningful supervision occurred.

What to Watch

  • Whether the Ministry of Justice orders an urgent review of early release procedures in light of this case.
  • The implementation of the Sentencing Act 2026 and any early warnings of increased reoffending.
  • Campaign calls for a full inquiry into the handling of Sabat's case and the wider policy.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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