Story of how a young girl’s testimony caught a killer premieres this weekend

Harrowing Sky Original docuseries The Girl Who Caught a Killer directed by Stern & Wild filmmaker Tanya Stephan is set to air on Sky and streaming service NOW on Sunday 25 May.

The two-part series tells the extraordinary story of Rachael Watts, who as a young girl survived a brutal abduction and assault, leading to the revelation of a devastating miscarriage of justice. 

Four years before the seven-year-old Rachael was attacked, the ‘Babes in the Wood’ murders of schoolgirls Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway had shocked the nation. Despite the evidence, the killer Russell Bishop walked free – both to proclaim his innocence and, sickeningly, lead a hunt for the ‘real’ killer. Rachael not only survived her ordeal but was able to pick out her attacker from a police lineup. Bishop was found guilty of her attempted murder, and Rachael’s identity remained a secret. 

For the production, the now 42-year-old Rachael shares her story for the first time on camera, revealing the long-term impact of her trauma, and her role in helping put the murderer behind bars. Alongside Rachael’s story, family members of Nicola Fellows describe their 30-year struggle for justice.

In the run-up to the series being aired, Rachael gave her first-ever print interview to the Telegraph’s Rosa Silverman. She offers a raw and heartbreaking account of how her past continues to affect her present.

The Girl Who Caught a Killer is produced by Plimsoll Productions for Sky Documentaries. The Executive Producers are Richard Klein and Kate Beetham for Plimsoll and Kathryn Taylor and Emily-Jayne Wilde for Sky. Tanya is the Director with Anastasia Arsan and Kate Hole as Producers.

Watch the series trailer below.