Police are looking to question a man known as the Artful Dodger of South Africa in connection with the death of a Brighton man who lay dead in his flat for at least two months.

Ricardo Pisano, who is also known as Brandon Victor Pillay and uses the nicknames "Ree" or Ricky" is wanted by Sussex Police in connection with the murder of Michael Polding who was discovered in his flat with multiple injuries by police on July 16.

Concerned family members contacted police when Mr Polding, 62, failed to get in touch.

The openly gay 62-year-old had only moved to St George's Road in the Kemp Town area of Brighton, East Sussex, from London nine months ago and detectives have said they are trying to build a picture of his lifestyle.

It is believed he died in the middle of May and officers are trying to establish exactly when he died

Their investigation has led them to convicted criminal Pisano who is believed to have walked out of an open prison in New Zealand ten years ago after being jailed for fraud offences.

His escape from prison led to him being called the South African Artful Dodger by South African paper The Star and "New Zealand's greatest prison escaper" by the Waikato Times.

Pisano was friends and possibly lovers with Mr Polding. He has links to Brighton, Southampton, Crouch End in North London and Croydon.

He is about 35 and believed to be South African but has in the past pretended to be from New Zealand and Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call Sussex Police on 101.