Mother's plea to find son's alleged killer as £50,000 reward offered for Britain's most wanted
The mother of the victim of an unprovoked knife attack in London has issued a heartfelt plea to help find her son's killer as a new five-figure reward is offered for Britain's most wanted fugitive.
Shane O'Brien, 28, is the chief suspect in the murder of 21-year-old Josh Hanson, who was killed in a bar in Hillingdon, west London.
On the second anniversary of the murder, detectives have upped the reward for finding O'Brien to £50,000.
The suspect, who heads the National Crime Agency's "most wanted" list, is believed to have fled abroad and is known to have changed his appearance.
In February this year he was arrested in Prague for criminal damage and assault, but used the Italian alias of Enzo Mellonceli, supported by false documentation, and was bailed pending further enquiries.
An image taken then shows he has grown his hair, has a full beard and has a distinctive new tattoo of an owl holding a skull, which covers up his previous "Shannon 15-04-06" tattoo.
Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, from the Met's homicide and major crime command, said the £50,000 reward for information leading to O'Brien's arrest and conviction "demonstrated the Met's determination" in finding him.
He said: "It is clear he is being helped by others to evade police and has the ability to move around without using his own identity.
"That is why we decided to offer such a large reward... I hope it will encourage someone who moves in O'Brien's circles to come forward."
"When arrested in Prague, O'Brien had boxing gloves with him.
"He uses gyms and will continue to do so I'm sure.
"His new tattoo is so distinctive it should stick in the mind of fellow boxers, or possibly a new partner.
"I would like to hear from the tattoo artist who covered up his original 'Shannon 15-04-06' tattoo - it would have taken several sittings."
Mr Hanson, from Kingsbury in north-west London, was found with a serious wound to the neck at the RE Bar in Hillingdon at about 1.10am on October 11 2015. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as haemorrhage, inhalation of blood and an incised wound to the neck.
A reward for information initially stood at £10,000, before being increased to £20,000 last year.
A mother's two year wait for justice
Mr Hanson's mother, Tracey Hanson, said the past two years had been "a living nightmare".
O'Brien, originally from Ladbroke Grove, is described as white and 6ft with grey eyes and dark brown hair.
Call police immediately on 999 if you spot him. Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or the police on 020 8785 8099.