Josh Hanson: Mum wears sandwich board as she calls on London commuters to track down son's killer

Murdered: Josh Hanson
Met Police
Justin Davenport8 October 2018
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A mother today called on London commuters to help track down the fugitive killer of her son in a dramatic appeal outside Waterloo station.

Tracey Hanson wore a sandwich-board to publicise a wanted poster for the prime suspect in the murder of her 21-year-old son Josh Hanson.

Shane O’Brien, 30, is alleged to have murdered Mr Hanson in an unprovoked knife attack in a bar in Hillingdon in October, 2015.

After the murder O’Brien left the country in a private jet, fleeing first to the Netherlands before travelling “extensively” and being spotted in countries around the world. There is a £50,000 reward on offer for information leading to his prosecution.

In June, O’Brien, from Ladbroke Grove, was placed on Interpol’s global most wanted list.

Wanted fugitive Shane O'Brien
Metropolitan Police

Today Mrs Hanson, who with the help of friends was handing out 4,000 “wanted” leaflets to commuters, said: “It is three years on from Josh’s murder and we still have not had justice. The public need to know that we are still fighting.

“It could be that one person today takes a leaflet and recognises O’Brien. Our appeal to people is to share the wanted poster too and to mark Josh’s third anniversary.

“I can tell you it is not easy wearing a sandwich board and standing outside talking to complete strangers about my son’s murder, but I will do whatever it takes.”

Victim: Josh Hanson, seen with mother Tracey, died in 2015

Mrs Hanson added: “Someone, somewhere must know where Shane O’Brien is or who is helping him and I am asking the public to help me to continue to keep our campagin in the public eye by displaying the poster at home and away.

“Can you imagine if this had happened to your son?”

Police in the Czech Republic came close to capturing O’Brien last year when he was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and assault in Prague.

He gave his name as Enzo Mellonceli, which was supported by false documentation, before he was released on bail.

Wanted man: Shane O'Brien has had a tattoo covered up with this owl design
Met Police

By the time officers realised O’Brien’s true identity he had disappeared.

A police mugshot taken at the time showed he had grown his hair to shoulder length and had a full beard and a distinctive new tattoo on his back of an owl holding a skull.

Detectives believe O’Brien is getting help from underworld associates and using aliases and false passports in order to travel.

So far, there have been alleged sightings of O’Brien in Thailand, Gibraltar, the United Arab Emirates and Nice in France.

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