Spaniard main suspect for stabbing

DETECTIVES at Scotland Yard believe a Spanish national may be the chief suspect of the murder of an Irishman in London at the weekend.

Tony O'Keeffe, 41, from Limerick was stabbed to death outside a bar in east London last Saturday night.

The former milkman who had been living in London for the past eight years had been playing pool in the Victoria Bar in Walthamstow when a row broke out.

It is understood alleged racist remarks may have prompted a dispute between Mr O'Keeffe and another man in the bar.

As he left the pub, Mr O'Keeffe was assaulted suffering multiple injuries and was later found lying unconscious on Hoe street.

A post-mortem revealed that Tony O'Keeffe died following a single stab wound to the heart.

Detectives at Scotland Yard said last night witness reports described a man of Spanish appearance, with shoulder-length black hair, leaving the scene of the assault on foot.

Detective Chief Inspector Gordon Green, who is leading the murder investigation, said police had a suspect in mind but appealed for witnesses.

"I am appealing to anyone who was inside the Victoria Pub or in the Hoe Street area last Saturday night who witnessed an altercation between two men to contact the incident room at Hendon Police Station," said DCI Green.

It's understood Tony O'Keeffe originally from the Ballynanty area of Limerick may have been living in London under a false name.

Police at Scotland Yard said last night they were unable to confirm when the dead man's body would be released to his family.

An inquest into the death has opened and was adjourned to a later date.