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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Stagg wins £700,000 compensation | Stagg wins £700,000 compensation |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The man who was wrongly accused of murdering Rachel Nickell in London in 1992 has won £706,000 in compensation. | The man who was wrongly accused of murdering Rachel Nickell in London in 1992 has won £706,000 in compensation. |
| 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. |
| 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." |
| 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. |
| I'm now slowly realising that I have a future after all and that's a great feeling Colin Stagg | |
| Mr Stagg said the payout was like "winning the lottery" and said he thought his solicitor was joking when he told him the news. | 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." | "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 he would make a few modest purchases, but would not go on a spending spree. | 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." | "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 had compromised his ability to work. | He said the stigma of his arrest had 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." | "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 came with it, was still sinking in and that he might pursue a small business idea. | Mr Stagg said his new financial reality, and the peace of mind that came with it, was 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." | "I'm now slowly realising that I have a future after all and that's a great feeling." |
| Mr Tribick said the compensation offer came in a letter from the Office of Criminal Justice Reform following an application for compensation. | Mr Tribick said the compensation 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. | 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. | 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. |