Nickell murder case psychologist cleared

Charges of misconduct against the criminal psychologist who worked on the police inquiry into the murder of Rachel Nickell were dismissed yesterday by the British Psychological Society's disciplinary committee.

Paul Britton, 56, had faced seven allegations of professional misconduct after complaints were lodged by Colin Stagg, who was acquitted of the murder in 1994.

After the misconduct charges were dismissed yesterday, Mr Britton's lawyers described the allegations as "scandalous" and "wholly misconceived" and said he was considering taking action against the society for the way it had handled the matter.

But Mr Stagg was furious that the committee chairman, Dr Louis Kramer, had ruled that Mr Britton would be unable to get a fair hearing because of an eight-year delay since the end of the trial.

Ms Nickell, a former model aged 23, was murdered while out walking with her two-year-old son, Alex, on Wimbledon Common in July 1992. She was stabbed 49 times and sexually assaulted.

Mr Britton became involved when the Metropolitan Police asked for his help in catching the killer.

The criminal psychologist, who worked with detectives investigating the mass killer Fred West and assisted the inquiry into the murder of James Bulger, was asked by police to conduct a sexual fantasy analysis of the killer of Ms Nickell.

He concluded that the chief suspect, Mr Stagg, had a "sexually deviant-based personality disorder".

Detectives set up a "honey trap" involving a female police officer to encourage Mr Stagg to exchange violent sado-masochistic fantasies and entice him to admit the murder.

But the case collapsed in court in 1994 and the methods used in the investigation were criticised by the judge.

Mr Stagg then lodged a complaint with the British Psychological Society against Mr Britton, one of its members, claiming the criminal profiler had ruined his life and had not fulfilled his duties in a proper and scientific manner.