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Murder of Naomi Smith

SOLVED1995Bretts Hall Estate recreation ground, Nuneaton, Warwickshire3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Naomi Louise Smith (4 March 1980 – 14 September 1995) was a 15-year-old schoolgirl from the Bretts Hall Estate in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, who attended Hartshill School. On the evening of 14 September 1995, she left home at approximately 9:45pm to post a letter for her mother at a post box roughly 200 yards away. When she failed to return, her father Brian Smith and her best friend Emma Jones searched for her, discovering her body shortly before midnight beneath the children's slide of a local playground a few hundred metres from her home. A post-mortem revealed she had been sexually assaulted, her throat had been cut, and her body mutilated, including a bite mark left on her breast.

The investigation was led by Detective Superintendent Tony Bayliss of Warwickshire Police, with an incident room established at Bedworth Police Station. Up to 50 officers were assigned to the case. Police made unusual public appeals, including releasing details of Smith's injuries on 17 September 1995 in hopes of prompting information from anyone shielding the killer. Witnesses reported seeing Smith near the post box and a man running from a nearby alleyway known locally as "the jitty."

Five men were arrested in coordinated raids on 21 September 1995 but were later released without charge. A month after the murder, police obtained a DNA profile of the killer and, working with forensic psychologist Paul Britton, conducted a mass DNA screening of around 800 local men aged 15 to 28; approximately 135 samples were ultimately taken. This was among the earliest mass DNA screenings carried out by the Forensic Science Service, which had only recently established the world's first DNA database in April 1995. Forensic work was led by Senior SOCO Paul Taberner and forensic scientist Hazel Johnson.

Following further arrests on 16 November 1995, 19-year-old Edwin Hopkins was charged with murder on 18 November 1995. He was remanded in custody and denied bail. Hopkins' trial began on 22 January 1997 at Birmingham Crown Court. His sister Julie, who had initially provided him an alibi, later testified that he had returned later than expected on the night of the murder, having changed clothes, and described his collection of hunting knives. Prosecutors presented DNA evidence matching Hopkins at odds of 36 million to one, along with forensic odontology testimony that a dental cast of his teeth matched the bite mark on Smith's body.

On 30 January 1997, an eleven-person jury convicted Hopkins of murder by a 10–1 majority and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The trial judge, Mr Justice Tucker, described the killing as "savage" and "sadistic." His minimum term was later set at 18 years by the Home Secretary in 1999. Hopkins has consistently maintained his innocence and unsuccessfully sought a tariff review in 2010. He was moved to an open prison in 2021, released in December 2023, and recalled to prison 23 days later after breaching release conditions.

Key facts

Victims
Naomi Smith
Date
1995
Location
Bretts Hall Estate recreation ground, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1980-03-04

    Naomi Louise Smith is born in Coventry.

  2. 1995-09-14

    Smith leaves home to post a letter and is later found murdered beneath a playground slide near her home in Nuneaton.

  3. 1995-09-15

    Police search teams of approximately 30 officers scour the area around the recreation ground for clues.

  4. 1995-09-16

    Police hold a press conference appealing for information and offering a £10,000 reward.

  5. 1995-09-17

    Police release details of Smith's injuries with her parents' permission, appealing to anyone shielding the killer.

  6. 1995-09-18

    Police disclose that scientists are attempting to build a DNA profile of the killer.

  7. 1995-09-21

    Five local men are arrested in coordinated raids; all later released without charge. A memorial event is held at the recreation ground.

  8. 1995-10

    Police announce a DNA profile of the killer has been obtained; mass DNA screening of local men begins.

  9. 1995-11-16

    Four additional arrests are made.

  10. 1995-11-18

    Edwin Hopkins, 19, is charged with the murder of Naomi Smith.

  11. 1995-11-20

    Hopkins appears at Nuneaton Magistrates Court and is remanded in custody.

  12. 1995-12-18

    Naomi Smith's funeral is held at Chapel End Methodist Church.

  13. 1997-01-22

    Trial of Edwin Hopkins begins at Birmingham Crown Court.

  14. 1997-01-30

    Hopkins is found guilty of murder by a 10–1 majority verdict and sentenced to life imprisonment.

  15. 1997-02-06

    Lord Chief Justice Lord Bingham recommends a minimum term of 17–18 years to the Home Secretary.

  16. 1999-05-20

    Home Secretary Jack Straw sets Hopkins's minimum term at 18 years.

  17. 2004-02

    Andrew Dexter, previously questioned in connection with Smith's murder, is convicted of a separate murder; police confirm Hopkins's case will not be reopened.

  18. 2010-07-15

    Mr Justice King reviews Hopkins's tariff and upholds the original 18-year minimum term.

  19. 2021

    Hopkins is moved to an open prison.

  20. 2023-12

    Hopkins is released from prison.

  21. 2024-01

    Hopkins is recalled to prison 23 days after release for breaching release conditions.

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People

  • Naomi Smith

    VICTIM

    15-year-old schoolgirl sexually assaulted and murdered on 14 September 1995 in Nuneaton

  • Tony Bayliss

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Detective Superintendent of Warwickshire Police who led the murder investigation

  • Edwin Hopkins

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of the murder of Naomi Smith on 30 January 1997 and sentenced to life imprisonment with an 18-year minimum term

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Bretts Hall Estate recreation ground, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

52.5231, -1.4695

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Naomi Smith, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Nuneaton, was sexually assaulted and murdered after leaving home to post a letter on 14 September 1995. Edwin Hopkins was convicted of her murder in January 1997 following one of the first mass DNA screenings carried out by the Forensic Science Service.
Where did the murder happen?
Bretts Hall Estate recreation ground, Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Who was convicted?
Edwin Hopkins (Convicted of the murder of Naomi Smith on 30 January 1997 and sentenced to life imprisonment with an 18-year minimum term).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in United Kingdom

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Naomi SmithWikipedia · 2026-07-05
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The IndependentThe Independent · 2026-07-05
  3. OFFICIAL / AGENCYContemporaneous coverage — forensic.gov.ukforensic.gov.uk · 2026-07-05

Record history

First published
JUL 05, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 05, 2026