BOURNEMOUTH MURDER UPDATE

APPEAL FOR FIVE PEDESTRIANS

Detectives investigating the murder of 20-year old Bournemouth university student Luke Desmond Campbell in Boscombe are appealing for five pedestrians to come forward in confidence because they could have important information.

Two people were seen in the churchyard of St Clement's Church in St Clement's Road and three were seen at the junction of St Clement's Road and Walpole Road in Boscombe on the evening of Friday, 7 November 2008.

The first two people, were men seen at a bench in the grounds of St Clement's Church around 8.30pm.

The bench is at the Walpole Road end of the churchyard where it overlooks St Clement's Road - close to the property in whose rear garden Luke's body was found. The bench is also close to a lane running down the side of St Clement's Church to the St Clement and St John First School.

One of the men was sitting on the bench and the other - possibly wearing a red jacket - was standing next to the bench.

Both white skinned, aged in their early 20s and between five feet nine inches and five feet ten inches tall, the men were believed to be talking loudly - and it is thought they had alcohol with them and were smoking.

Murder squad detectives are also keen to speak to three people seen at the junction of Walpole Road and St Clement's Road in Boscombe around 8.25pm.

Two of those people - a man and a woman - were seen walking along St Clement's Road from the Palmerston Road direction towards Cleveland Road.

The man was wearing a dark jacket and the woman was wearing a lighter jacket. Both pedestrians were wearing light coloured trousers and light coloured trainers.

The third person that detectives would like to speak to was using the telephone kiosk at the junction of Walpole Road and St Clement's Road around 8.25pm.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Redstone - who is leading the investigation into Luke's murder - said: "These five people are being treated as potential witnesses and not suspects - they have nothing to fear in coming forward.

"It is important that they come forward as a matter or urgency because they may have important information that could assist in the investigation to find Luke's killer.

"My message to these five people is please come forward and contact Dorset Police. To anyone who recognises their descriptions and the circumstances under which they were seen, I would say please also come forward as soon as possible.

"Thanks to the media and the public, we were able to find Luke's bicycle which is being forensically examined. Now, I am hopeful that with the help of the media and the public, we will be able to identify and speak to these five people.

"This is a very detailed investigation and we are following several lines of specific enquiry. We are keeping an open mind as to the motive for Luke's murder," explained Detective Chief Inspector Redstone.

Luke's body was found in the back garden of a semi-detached house at the junction of St Clement's Road and Cleveland Road just after 10am on Saturday, 8 November 2008. It was discovered by a pedestrian using the Cleveland Road railway bridge.

Witnesses and anyone with information should contact Dorset Police in confidence on 01202 222 222 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 where mobile phone tariffs may apply.