Photo: WMP

There's been a major breakthrough in a grisly murder case which shocked Bickerstaffe in the spring of 2019.

Yesterday, a suspect wanted by detectives investigating the murder and kidnap of Polish national Tomasz Samuel in 2019 was arrested in Greece.

Tomasz was taken from his home in Handsworth by men pretending to be Interpol officers.

The 45-year-old was later found at a converted barn development of Intake Lane suffering from burns, and died in hospital three months later after initially being taken to the burns unit at Whiston where he remained under police guard.

West Midlands Police said a 44-year-old man - as yet unnamed- had been arrested in Thessaloniki with detectives liaising with Greek authorities and other agencies as the investigation continues.

A number of people have been arrested as part of the investigation, but no one has yet been charged, the spokesman added.

Mr. Samel was escorted to a white van at about 8:45 on 27 March 2019, police said, later desperately banging on the door of a ladies home some 80 miles away at 22:45 the same day, having suffered 75% burns; he died in Whiston hospital on 21 June.

links: https://www.qlocal.co.uk/ormskirk/news_list/Attempted_murder__Bickerstaffe-55037682.htm

https://www.qlocal.co.uk/ormskirk/ne...d-55039000.htm