Reward for information offered – 30 years on from killing.
Thames Valley Police have re-opened a brutal murder case and are appealing for new information, 30 years after a 17-year-old girl’s body was found in a canal.
Sabrina Brett was killed and her body found in the Grand Union Canal at Three Locks, Stoke Hammond, by a member of the public on 11th May 1995. A post mortem at the time revealed that Sabrina had died a number of days before she was found. She also had sustained injuries to her head, face and neck.
“It is now 30 years since the tragic death of Sabrina Brett,” said Head of Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Investigation Review Team, Principal Investigator Peter Beirne.
“We know that in the months leading up to her murder, she was the subject of child sexual exploitation. On this, the anniversary of her death, I am appealing for help in identifying who was responsible for both her death and her exploitation.
“I would urge anyone that has information to please contact us, either by visiting your local police station, calling 101, or via our website, quoting crime reference number 1745 (6/5).
“In particular, I would like friends of Sabrina to contact us, so that we can build up a picture of her life, in the weeks leading up to her death.
“You can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded, and you will not go to court.
“A reward up to £20,000 has been offered by Crimestoppers for information given directly to the charity which leads directly to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Sabrina’s murder.”
Sabrina's brother, Joseph Brett has joined in the appeal to find the killer.
“Sabrina was just 17 years old when she was brutally murdered and taken from us in the most horrific way back in 1995,” he said.
“She was so bright and cheeky and full of life. She had an infectious energy that could fill a room and light it up from corner to corner. She had the kindest of hearts and always put others first, and like any teenager, still figuring out who she was. Sabrina was a daughter, a sister, a young girl who never got the future she deserved.
“Sabrina had been exposed to things no child should ever have to face. Sabrina was a victim of sexual exploitation and heartbreakingly, taken advantage of at such a young age. She deserved care, not cruelty.
“Nearly 30 years have passed, and the person who did this to her has never been brought to justice. We can’t describe the pain of living all these years without answers.
“What is even more painful is knowing that our mum passed away recently, heartbroken, knowing that the person who killed Sabrina is still out there and walking free. She died carrying that grief and that grief weighed on her heart every single day of her life.
“We are speaking out now because someone out there knows something. Maybe you’ve held it in for years. Maybe you were afraid back then. But time has passed, and now is the time to do what’s right.
“Please, if you know anything, even the smallest detail, we’re begging you to come forward. Maybe you saw something, heard a name, heard a story, maybe you’ve carried a piece of this puzzle for years. It’s not too late. We’re pleading with you: please come forward.
“Please help us get justice for Sabrina and bring peace to our family. A very dangerous person, or people, are still on the loose and could commit further crimes against other women or girls if they are not caught.
“If you know anything at all, no matter how small it might seem, please come forward. Your courage could finally give Sabrina the justice she was denied.”
