After fatal bar stabbing
Detectives want him for questioning
POLICE are offering a £10,000 reward in relation to a man being sought in connection with the killing of Josh Hanson in Eastcote.
Josh, 21, from Kingsbury was fatally stabbed in the neck at the RE Bar, in Field End Road, at around 1.10am on October 11.
Shane O’Brien, 27, of Ladbroke Grove, is wanted for questioning by the Met, who say he has links to the Ruislip area.
He is white, 6ft and of muscular build. Police say the public should not approach him but should instead report any sightings immediately by calling 999.
Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “We are very keen to speak to Shane O’Brien as part of our ongoing enquiries and we believe he could be anywhere in the UK.
“I would appeal directly to him to contact us, or ask that anyone who has seen him or who knows where he is to contact us as well. I do believe someone out there will know where he is.
“Josh was a hardworking young lad, up at 5am for his job as a roads planner and often working seven days a week.
“He had everything to live for and when he went out that Saturday night, no one could have imagined what would happen to him. His family is in pieces.”
Detectives say they have had a positive response to their appeal but are still asking anyone who was in the RE bar between midnight and the time of the incident and has not yet contacted them to get in touch.
Josh’s mother, Tracey, paid tribute to her beloved son, saying: “Josh was a son that any mother would wish for. He was always smiling and laughing, he made everyone laugh with his upbeat approach to life.”
Last week a crowdfunding page set up in memory of Josh raised £14,000 in less than 24 hours. It aims to raise £30,000 for funeral arrangements and to establish a Justice for Josh Hanson charity.
A Facebook campaign also called ‘Justice for Josh Hanson’ was launched to help find whoever killed him.
The page describes Josh as “hard-working, loving, caring and funny, an angel with a big heart”. It adds: “Please help us to raise as much as we can to help with his funeral arrangements and the ongoing fight against knife crime.”
There have been no arrests at present and enquiries continue. Anyone with information can call the police incident room on 020 8785 8099 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or via crimestoppers-uk.org.