A man named Robert Sabat was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 17 years after he murdered his ex-partner, Dickiesha Nurse, shortly after being released from an earlier sentence for harassment and knife offenses. Sabat had served only about 40% of a one-year sentence before being freed, leading one of his previous victims to criticize Labour's early release policies as failing to protect women. The victim expressed concern that the seriousness of Sabat’s behavior was not adequately addressed by the justice system, resulting in another woman losing her life and families being devastated.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Robert Sabat, 60, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years and one month at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to murdering Dickiesha Nurse, his former partner, in her home in Tulse Hill, south London. The murder occurred between October 21 and 28, 2025, just days after Sabat was released from HMP Wandsworth on October 17, having served only 40% of a 12-month sentence for possession of a knife and harassment.
Sabat had known Nurse since childhood and was in a relationship with her for about four years before the attack. He moved into her home despite her pleas to leave after his release from prison. Her bloodied remains were discovered during a welfare check at her residence.
Sabat's early release was part of a policy change that allowed prisoners to be released after serving 40% of their sentences, instead of the previous requirement of 50%. The Sentencing Act 2026 now permits some prisoners to be released after serving just one-third of their sentence. Nurse’s younger sister, Samantha Carva, and another former partner criticized this policy, stating that Sabat's release should not have happened given his history of violence, which includes previous convictions for burglary, assaulting a police officer, and wounding with intent.
Sabat had previously been convicted in 2014 for harassment and possessing bladed articles. He admitted to police that he planned to go on a murder spree after Nurse’s killing.
Written for “Murder After Prison Release” on 2026-10-12,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning: leans right for article 72909 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-11
A thug who murdered his ex days after being freed from prison by Labour should never have been released early, one of his previous victims said.
asserted
one → murder → victims
Robert Sabat was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years before he can be considered for release at the Old Bailey last week, having stabbed mother-of-two Dickiesha Nurse to death in her own home.
asserted
he → hand → home
Sabat, 60, struck within days of being released from HMP Wandsworth having served just 40 per cent – fewer than 150 days – of his one-year sentence for harassment and knife offences.
asserted
Sabat → strike → harassment
The court heard Sabat was initially jailed after he turned up at another former partner's home, brandishing two knives, smashing a plant pot and shouting through the door, despite desperate pleas for him to leave.
asserted
him → hear → pleas
Police had to use pepper spray to restrain him.
asserted
Police → have → him
The former partner last night accused Labour of failing to protect women.
asserted
partner → accuse → women
Speaking from her home in south-west London, she told the Mail: 'It is an absolute mockery that someone with such a history of violence was able to be released from prison early.
asserted
someone → speak → prison
'I do not believe the seriousness of his behaviour was given the weight it deserved, and I cannot ignore the devastating consequences that have followed.
asserted
that → believe → consequences
A woman has lost her life, families have been destroyed, and those of us who have experienced his behaviour are left living with the consequences.
asserted
who → lose → consequences
Robert Sabat was jailed for life at the Old Bailey last week, having murdered a former partner while on licence
'
asserted
Sabat → jail → licence
This is about accountability, protecting women and the public, and making sure no other family has to experience what we have.
asserted
we → protect → what
'No one should have to wait for another life to be lost before the danger is taken seriously.'
asserted
danger → have → ?
The Old Bailey heard how Sabat moved into the home of former partner Ms Nurse immediately after being freed, and dismissed her pleas to go away.
asserted
Sabat → hear → pleas
He stabbed her to death and waited for days with her decomposing body until emergency services carried out a welfare check after family members raised the alarm.
asserted
members → stab → alarm
He then told armed police he murdered others before.
asserted
he → tell → others
Chillingly, he made similar brags to his former partner, who asked not to be named for her own safety.
asserted
who → make → safety
She said: 'This is not simply a history of controlling and threatening behaviour towards women - it is a disturbing history of violence towards other people, regardless of who they are.
asserted
they → say → people
'In my experience, he is manipulative, controlling and threatening, and I believe there is a serious danger in the pattern of behaviour he has demonstrated.'
asserted
he → believe → behaviour
The woman said she continues to be traumatised by her experiences with Sabat.
asserted
she → say → Sabat
She said: 'I believe the system failed me, and I believe it failed the woman who has now lost her life.
asserted
who → say → life
I cannot help but wonder whether things could have been different if the seriousness of his behaviour and the danger he posed had been recognised and acted upon.'
uncertain
he → help → behaviour
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'We are determined to always have the prison places needed to keep dangerous offenders locked up.
asserted
We → say → offenders
'That is why we're building thousands more prison places and tagging offenders at record levels to track and manage those in the community.'
asserted
we → build → community
The Probation Service is conducting an internal review into what went on.
asserted
what → conduct → review
Labour's initial early release scheme saw prisoners let out after serving 40 per cent of their fixed-term sentences in custody, rather than half.
asserted
prisoners → see → half
Tens of thousands of convicted criminals have been released early under the scheme to date, designed to relieve pressure on the overcrowded prison estate.
asserted
thousands → convict → estate
Some even praised Prime Minister Andy Burnham as they left prison during the latest wave earlier this month.
asserted
they → praise → wave
The Aporia
