Nisha Patel-Nasri

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Nisha Patel-Nasri was a 29-year old Luton born Gujarati volunteer policewoman (special constable) and business owner who was stabbed to death outside her Wembley, north London home on Thursday 11 May 2006 before midnight^[1]. Detective Superintendent Julian Worker appealed for witnesses next day 12 May 2006 and described the crime as atrocious and horrendous^[1].

Her murder was included in a list of 'ten prominent police deaths in the past five years' (2001 - 2006) by Guardian Unlimited^[2]. The Sun newspaper also offered a reward of 10 000 GBP^[3].

1 Biography
2 The crime
3 Police investigation
4 Controversy
5 References

[edit] Biography

Nisha Patel-Nasri was a 29-year old Luton born Hindu Gujarati British Indian of the Patel caste who grew up in London^[3] and ran a hairdressing business near her home in Wembley, north London, and also volunteered as a special constable ^[1]. She had been a special constable for 3 years^[4].

She told friends that she wanted to help tackle crime^[5].

She was married to 33-year old Lebanese Fadi Nasri^[3], who ran a limousine hire company from their home^[1]. On the night of the attack Nisha Patel-Nasri and her husband were out for a meal celebrating their 3rd wedding anniversary^[3]^[4].

She had a brother named Katen Patel who works as an ITV programme scheduler ^[6].

[edit] The crime

Although her home was in a low-crime neighborhood^[1], the Saturday before her murder 3 men, believed to be burglars, attempted to enter her home but fled after they were confronted by her at around 22:00hrs ^[1].

During the night of 11 May 2006 she had gone outside her home carrying a John Lewis "Evolution" cook's knife^[4]. It is believed that this was the murder weapon^[7].

A man in hooded top was seen running in Sylvester Road^[3].

She died in Northwick Park Hospital as a result of a stab wound to her left thigh^[3].

[edit] Police investigation

As expensive limousines were parked outside her home (because of the limousine hire company operating from it), the police initially tried to understand whether this could attract the murderer^[1].

The police, the day after the incident, also investigated what could have caused her to go outside her house that night, armed with a weapon^[1].

The murder weapon, a knife, was found by the police, but the DNA on it was not good enough to match anyone in the national database^[4].

Her husband, Fadi Nasri, was arrested on Tuesday 27 February 2007 as a suspect^[3]. On Wednesday 28 May 2008 he was found guilty of organising her murder.

[edit] Controversy

Following the conviction of her husband, secret police files reveal Patel-Nasri was involved in helping her husband run an escort agancy, allegedly driving call girls to work. At one point it is claimed Patel-Nasri used her police warrant card to threaten clients over unpaid bills^[8]. Patel-Nasri was disciplined for misusing her warrant card, and given a verbal warning (words of advice). The reprimand was the result of an incident where Patel-Nasri went to a house with her husband and some of his associates to demand payment of monies owing to the escort service.