Teacher's son arrested over Harrow girl murder

Above: Lucy Braham
13 April 2012

A teacher's son has been arrested after the brutal stabbing of the daughter of another teacher at one of Britain's most exclusive public schools.

Lucy Braham, the 25-year-old daughter of Harrow School's art director was killed, while William Jaggs, who was arrested over her murder, was left critically injured.

• The girl knifed to death at Harrow

His wounds are believed to have been self-inflicted and he is too ill to speak to police.

The stabbing happened at Miss Braham's family home in Peterborough Road, Harrow, north west London, late on Thursday.

It is believed the pair knew each other but were not in a relationship, nor ever had been. Police are investigating a possible motive.

Mr Jaggs, who is in his 20s, is thought to be the son of a design teacher at the school and apparently studied at Oxford. He remains in hospital in a critical condition.

Circumstances were still unclear but a knife was recovered from the scene and the police are not looking for anyone else at this stage.

Miss Braham was in her parents' Victorian home just 200 yards from the entrance to the exclusive 800-pupil £24,825-a-year school when she was stabbed.

Police were called at 10.25pm after reports of a man being injured at the house. They found Mr Jaggs suffering substantial stab wounds and Miss Braham was declared dead at the scene.

It was reported that her parents came back after an evening out to find their house cordoned off and their daughter dead.

A post-mortem examination was carried out at Northwick Park Hospital.

A police spokesman said: "The man was taken to a west London hospital where his condition is described as critical. He was subsequently arrested in connection with the incident.

"We are not looking for anyone else at this early stage."

A spokeswoman for Harrow School confirmed that the incident took place on school premises: "There was a serious incident in a property owned by the school last night.

"No pupils from the school were involved.

"Residents of the Harrow community are deeply shocked by this tragedy and the school wishes to extend its greatest sympathy to the families of those involved."

At the scene, the property remained cordoned off by police and officers were later seen coming out of an address several doors from the Braham family home. Two computers were removed from the Jaggs' property.

Miss Braham went to Millfield School in Somerset for the last two years of her schooling between 1997 and 1999.

Her sister Alice, who also went to Millfield, is believed to be a successful runner who has represented Britain in a number of marathons including London and New York.

Her mother Julienne is thought to be an artist, as is her husband.

The manager of a French restaurant opposite the school said he was "shocked" at hearing about the incident.

Ray Pan, from Bistro Francais on the Hill, said the neighbourhood surrounding the school was quiet and he had not been aware of any crime in the 10 years that he had worked there.

He said: "It's such a nice area. They are such nice people.

"It's really, really quiet. All the students have to be in bed by around 11 o'clock and we close the kitchen at about 10 o'clock because it's so quiet."

Mr Pan said a number of teachers and some students dined in the restaurant last night but left shortly after 9pm to attend a function at the school.

Mr Pan closed the restaurant and went to leave at about 11pm but was told by police that there had been an incident further down the road and he would have to take a different route home.

He said: "I'm absolutely shocked. I know most of the teachers. I'm just stunned that something like this could happen here."

Mr Jaggs is a student at Oriel College where he is thought to be reading English, a university acquaintance said.

But the student, who did not wish to be named, said Mr Jaggs had been suspended for failing to keep up with his work.

Under a process known as "rustication" he was ordered to suspend his studies for a year during last year's Autumn Term. It is thought he would have been permitted to return to his studies this term.

The acquaintance said Mr Jaggs would be beginning his third year at the university if he joined students returning to class in October.

Mr Jaggs is also thought to have contributed to the university's student newspapers as a drama reviewer.

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