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Crime

18th Aug 2022

Arrest made following fatal stabbing of ‘much loved’ OAP

Jack Peat

A 44-year-old man was arrested in the early hours of the morning 

Police have arrested a 44-year-old man over the fatal stabbing of a “much loved” OAP in west London this week.

Thomas O’Halloran was murdered while riding on his mobility scooter in broad daylight next to the busy A40 in Greenford.

The Met Police issued an image of a man wearing white gloves and wielding a knife shortly after, and have since confirmed that an arrest had been made in Southall in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood, who is leading the investigation, said: “I would like to thank the public for their overwhelming support following this horrific incident.

“As a result of the release of a CCTV image yesterday, an arrest has been made and this investigation is progressing at pace.

“Mr O’Halloran’s family have been updated with this development and continue to be supported by specially trained officers.”

Footage on social media shows Mr O’Halloran busking to raise money for Ukraine months before the killing.

He can be seen playing his accordion and smiling, with a makeshift blue and yellow collection box strapped to his frame, in the video posted online in June.

Former Labour MP Stephen Pound paid tribute to Mr O’Halloran, an ex-constituent whom he knew from the busker’s regular public presence in the area.

He told GB News: “Tom was a real local character. He would be outside Greenford station playing the accordion, occasionally the harmonica.

“He was a sweet, lovely man… He was well-liked and well-loved, but, above all, he was one of those characters who would cement an area.”

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