A THIRD murder probe in the space of five weeks has been launched by police after a man sustained a fatal head injury in Barnsley town centre last weekend.
Dawid Szubert, of Park Road, Barnsley, was found on Sunday at around 3.05pm on a pathway at the side of Mandela Gardens.
The 38-year-old victim, whose identity remained unknown to police until yesterday, prompted officers to issue CCTV images which showed him walking along Hanson Street, which leads to Mandela Gardens, just 30 minutes before they say he was murdered.
It is the third murder investigation in the town in just over a month: Claire Louise Smith, 42, was found on Union Street, near the town centre, on May 19 and died from a physical assault, while 73-year-old Jill Hibberd was stabbed in her home on Roy Kilner Road, Wombwell, on May 31.
Det Ch Insp Steve Whittaker revealed yesterday that a 27-year-old man, from Barnsley, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.
He added: “I would like to thank everyone who has come forward with information since Sunday and has assisted with our enquiries so far.
“The man has now formally been identified as Dawid Szubert. We have also traced his family, living in Poland, and officers have and continue to speak with them to provide support.”
Having scoured CCTV in the town centre this week, police say they have made ‘significant’ progress into the investigation, although anyone who was near the usually busy area of Mandela Gardens on Sunday has been urged to get in touch with the police with information which could help.
“I am still keen to hear from anyone who was around Mandela Gardens on Sunday afternoon and saw what happened or who saw anyone acting suspiciously,” Det Ch Insp Whittaker said.
“A team of detectives are continuing work on the case to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the man’s death, to understand exactly what happened and to piece together his movements and the precise circumstances.”
A police cordon - which was in place from Sunday afternoon until Tuesday - has been lifted after forensic work at the scene was finished.
A 43-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder on Sunday, has been released under investigation as enquiries continue. A 27-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman arrested on Monday afternoon on suspicion of theft have also been released under investigation.
If you have any information about the incident, call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111, quoting incident number 605 of June 17.
