Alan Jackaman – författare

The book contains information not until now in the public domain and tells of the author's tenacity as a lower-ranking officer in the face of dwindling resources and sometimes disparagement by more senior investigators. A straightforward account of the solving of heinous and complex crimes, it also delves into media fascination with serious offences and shows how the press may latch on to one murder whilst ignoring another, even more horrific, one. The author was an investigator on the Bisset case from the day of the murder through to seeing that case linked first to south-London's Green Chain Walk rapes and the discovery that Napper also killed Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common - a case in which the wrong man was targeted and charged by other officers. The book also looks at the mind of Robert Napper, his bizarre behaviour, family history and `doodlings' and the fact that sheer `chance' allowed him to remain free for so long. By the detective who arrested Napper. Looks at the emergence of criminal profiling. Enters the mind of a psychotic killer. Shows how media `obsession' can hinder justice. Contains unpublished material.

Records the tragic circumstances which led to one man committing a sequence of vicious sexual assaults through to the murders of Rachel Nickell and Samantha and Jazmine Bisset. It has taken Alan Jackaman over 25 years to come to terms with what he experienced, but he now tells of his part in the downfall of serial killer Robert Napper. Reveals for the first time information not until now in the public domain and tells of the author’s tenacity as a lower-ranking officer in the face of dwindling resources and sometimes disparagement by more senior investigators. A straightforward account of the solving of heinous and complex crimes, it also delves into media fascination with serious offences and shows how the press may latch on to one murder whilst ignoring another, even more horrific, one. The author was an investigator on the Bisset case from day one through to seeing that case linked to London’s Green Chain Walk rapes and the discovery that Napper also killed Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common. The book tells for the first time the behind the scenes story of how the misguided targeting of Colin Stagg and rebuffing of his team’s suspicions allowed Napper to escape justice for 15 years. The book also looks at the mind of Robert Napper, his bizarre behaviour, family history and ‘doodlings’ (some reproduced in this book) and the fact that sheer ‘chance’ allowed him to remain free for so long.

Who Really Killed Claire? re-investigates the brutal yet apparently motiveless murder of 16-year-old Claire Tiltman in Greenhithe, Kent in 1993. It describes how police investigations faltered for almost 20 years until Colin Ash-Smith, due to be released from a long prison sentence for lesser attacks on young women, was unceremoniously charged with this cold case murder. This was one of the UK's very first cases involving the use of evidence of 'bad character' under a controversial new law. Expertly researched, the book revisits the crime scene, investigation, prosecution, media frenzy and belated urgency that led to Ash-Smith's conviction before he was 'back on the street'. Meanwhile, the predatory serial killer Robert Napper was ignored, despite 'hallmarks' and correlations making him a strong suspect. Well placed to raise doubts, experienced investigator Alan Jackaman analyses the wholly circumstantial evidence and explains why he believes misplaced 'gut feelings' may have beset the entire case.Extract: 'When asked again if he had murdered Claire ... [Colin Ash-Smith] replied, "Out of all the interviews I've been in I haven't told one single lie. I can categorically say I had nothing to do with Claire's murder ...".'