Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Heiress raped before fatal coma

Terri Judd
Sunday 30 May 1999 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A man has been charged with raping a wealthy heiress shorly before she fell into a fatal coma. Although Annabel Nettleton, 21, was unable to make a formal complaint before collapsing, Scotland Yard has charged the 26-year-old man on two counts of rape.

Ms Nettleton, the eldest daughter of millionaire solicitor and company director John Nettleton, was found unconscious in a run-down house in Tulse Hill, south London, after spending the night at a well-known London nightclub.

Ambulance workers tried to revive her as she was taken to Kings College Hospital, where she remained unconscious on a life-support machine until she died two days later on 18 May.

Four people were arrested in the house on Upper Tulse Hill on suspicion of plotting to supply drugs, but three were later released without charge. In an unusual move, Zoltan Espejel, unemployed, was charged with the sex offences despite the lack of a complaint.

Mr Espejel is alleged to have attacked Miss Nettleton twice in the hours before she was found unconscious in the lounge of the house.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said yesterday: "The man has been charged with two counts of rape on a 21-year-old woman at an address in Tulse Hill. He has been remanded in custody and our investigations continue."

Ms Nettleton lived with her family in a pounds 1m Belgravia town house. Her father and mother Christine, who had waited by her hospital bed, were being comforted yesterday with with their children, Emma and Jamie, at their pounds 2m house in Newington, Oxfordshire.

In a statement on their behalf the Rev Sue Booys said: "When something like this happens to a family, any family, it is beyond description. Our thoughts are with them all."

A post-mortem found that Miss Nettleton had died from a brain haemorrhage, but there was no conclusive evidence as to its cause. She had been clubbing into the early hours at the Fridge nightspot in Brixton. Detectives investigating whether the dance drug Ecstasy was involved are awaiting the results of further tests.

Mr Espejel, of Upper Tulse Road, was remanded in custody until 8 June when he will appear before Camberwell magistrates.

  • The case against Mr Espejel was subsequently dropped due to lack of evidence.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in