Man arrested on suspicion of murdering gay victim in London cemetery

Police have arrested a 36-year-old man on suspicion of murder after a gay man was found dead in a London cemetery.

Emergency services were called to Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park at around 7am on Monday morning (16 August) after a gay man was found unresponsive.

He was declared dead at the scene, while a post-mortem later found that he died after suffering a “blunt force trauma to the head”, the Metropolitan Police said.

Detectives arrested a man in connection with the death on Friday (20 August), the Metropolitan Police confirmed.

In a statement, Set Supt Pete Wallis of the Met Police’s specialist crime command, said officers had been working “around the clock to bring justice to the victim and his family”.

“The investigation into his death is being conducted by homicide detectives who are committed to discovering the circumstances of this incident,” Wallis said, adding that the arrest marked a “significant development”.

“The victim was attacked in what is suspected to be a homophobically motivated attack, but we remain open-minded.

“The investigation team are working with the LGBT Advisory Group.”

Wallis closed out his statement by appealing to the local community to remain “aware of their surroundings” and to exercise vigilance in their “personal safety”.

London police are appealing for information after a gay man was found dead

“I urge anyone who hears anything relating to this murder to get in touch without delay.

“Throughout our enquiries we have spoken to numerous members of the public, conducted house to house in the area and have trawled hours of CCTV.

“But we still need to hear from anyone who was in the area around Cemetery Park during the early hours of 16 August.”

Superintendent Mike Hamer from the Metropolitan Police’s Central East Leadership and Support said he was “shocked by the nature of this horrendous and brutal attack”.

“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends at this time,” he said.

“We, and our partners within Tower Hamlets, are supporting the investigation team and are absolutely committed to bring the offender/s to justice.”

Anybody with information is being asked to call 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.