Missing man’s body found in wine bar freezer 'may have been there years'

Detectives investigating the death of a man whose body lay undiscovered in a freezer for several years are appealing for anyone who knew him to come forward.

Roy Bigg was found in the basement of the disused Simpson’s Wine Bar in Romford Road, Forest Gate, east London, on October 15 last year.

Builders working at the site discovered his remains in the freezer and he was identified through dental records.

Mr Bigg went missing in February 2012 when he would have been 67, and Metropolitan Police detectives have yet to establish when he was last seen.

Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen said: “We believe that Roy’s body may have been in the freezer for a number of years.

“Speaking to people who knew him will help us establish not only his lifestyle and habits, but also when he was last seen.

“If you knew Roy please do get in touch with us – his birth date was 8 September 1944, we believe he would have been aged around 70 when he died.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s been a long time since you knew him, or if you only knew him briefly, any information may be of real significance to our inquiries.”

A post-mortem examination was inconclusive.

Ms Allen added: "We have released an image of Roy and hope that anyone who knew him will take the time to come forward and speak with us. If you don’t want to speak directly to police please contact Crimestoppers anonymously, but whatever you do, please do make the call."

Anyone who knew Mr Bigg can call police on 020 8345 1570, or tweet @MetCC, quoting reference CAD4332/15OCT21. To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.