Police release CCTV of man they want to speak to in murder investigation

Police have released CCTV footage of a man they urgently want to speak to in connection with a murder investigation.

Detectives are urging people to look closely at the video, which can be seen below, as they are confident someone can tell them who he is so he can be eliminated from their enquiries.

Officers also today revealed there were no signs of a break-in before mother-of-three Clair Ablewhite, 47, was murdered in a knife attack at her home in Hall Lane, Colston Bassett, on Friday evening (25 February).

A still from the CCTV of the man Nottinghamshire Police want to speak to.

Reassurance patrols have been stepped up in the area and officers are due to conduct house-to-house enquiries tonight in the village and will be asking people to view the video. The man is seen on camera on foot in Hall Lane, Colston Bassett, at around 9.30pm on Friday, shortly before the murder took place.

Police want to speak to this man in connection with a murder in Colston Bassett.

He was wearing a hooded jacket with the hood up, trainers, and a rucksack on his back. He has a light-footed walk and has his right hand to his mouth in the clip.

"I am sure somebody will know who this is. We want to speak to this man urgently as he may hold vital information so I would ask him to come forward." Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin - Nottinghamshire Police.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police, urged people to watch the footage carefully and share it with as many people as possible on social media to help officers identify him.

"I want you to look at this footage over and over and keep playing it back," he said. "You can see images of his face, his size and build and clothing. He is carrying a distinctive bag on his back and you also get a really good view of his footwear.

"I am sure somebody will know who this is. We want to speak to this man urgently as he may hold vital information so I would ask him to come forward, or if anyone recognises him or thinks they know who he might be, I’d ask that they contact the incident room straight away. "Please share this video widely and look at it really carefully and if you think you recognise him, ring immediately."

ACC Griffin revealed he believed the murderer may have been known to Clair. "We are keeping an open mind about the circumstances around Clair's murder. However, there are some features within it that make me think that this is a local person," he said. "There are no signs of forced entry and no obvious signs of a burglary. It could be that the person was known to Clair."

The footage also shows a vehicle passing by the man in Hall Lane. Further CCTV held by the investigation team shows another vehicle drive past at around this time.

ACC Griffin urged these drivers, or anyone else who was in the area and may have seen something or have dash-cam footage to come forward.

He added: "I understand how concerning this tragic incident has been for the community and want to let local residents know that we are doing everything in our power to find out who did this. Detectives are working tirelessly to follow up a number of leads.

Police at the scene earlier this week. Photo: George Icke

"We are stepping up reassurance patrols in the area to help put people at ease. Tonight, community officers will be conducting house-to-house enquiries to speak to people, address any concerns and ensure they have seen the video.

Mother of three Clair Ablewhite who was killed on Friday 25th February. Photo: Nottinghamshire Police.

"Any information we get could be vital, even if you think it is insignificant it could actually be really important when pieced together with all the other information we are gathering."

Anyone with information is urged to call 101, quoting a new incident number, 277 of 3 March 2022, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. People can also report information through an online portal, here https://mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM22E38-PO1