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Murder Inquiry After Banker Dies Following London Assault

Police are investigating the suspected murder of a 30-year-old man who was assaulted and later died in southeast London.

Oliver Dearlove, who worked in banking, was attacked early on Sunday morning in Tranquil Vale, Blackheath.

He had been in the area with friends who all visited a bar in Montpelier Vale and then waited for a booked taxi in Tranquil Vale.

It is believed Mr Dearlove's group had started speaking to a group of women before a man approached and struck him, causing him to collapse.

The suspect then left the area, possibly in the direction of the heath.

Mr Dearlove, who lived in Eltham, was taken to an east London hospital where he died just after 10.20pm.

A post-mortem held on Tuesday gave the provisional cause of death as an intracranial haemorrhage.

There have been no arrests so far.

Police have spoken to the group of women, following earlier appeals for them to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Watling said: "The investigation is moving at a fast pace and we have made considerable progress so far in identifying and speaking to a number of significant witnesses who are helping us to understand the exact sequence of events.

"We are also undertaking significant CCTV enquiries from Blackheath Village and the surrounding areas to establish if the suspect has been captured on CCTV and to help us identify him as soon as possible.

"In the meantime, I would encourage the man to come forward and speak to me about the events of Sunday night.

"I would like to thank everybody who has come forward so far but would like to appeal once again to anyone who was in Blackheath Village that evening and saw the suspect assault Oliver or saw him leaving the area afterwards to come forward.

"Oliver's family, his girlfriend and friends have been left devastated by his death and deserve to know what happened to him.

"If you have any information, no matter how insignificant you think it is, contact the police."

Mr Dearlove was a relationship manager at Duncan Lawrie Private Banking.