Michael Polding. Pic: Sussex Police

Sussex police are appealing for help in tracking a man in relation to the murder of Croydon hospital worker, Michael Polding.

Sussex Major Crime Team believe Ricardo Pisano, from South Africa, can provide vital information about the death of the 62-year old man.A resident of Croydon for thirty years, Polding had moved to Brighton only months before he was found dead in his apartment on 16 July 2012. Sussex police launched a murder inquiry on 21 July after a post-mortem showed he had died from several injuries. It is believed his body had been in the flat for up to two months.

In a statement Detective Chief Inspector Nick May, who is leading the investigation said: “We are still unclear as to when exactly Mr Polding died and our enquiries have shown that Mr Polding was friends with Mr Pisano. We think he may have information about Mr Polding’s last movements, however we have been unable to find him so far.”

Pisano, who also goes by the names ‘Brandon Victor Pillay’, ‘Ree’ or ‘Ricky’ has previously lived in New Zealand where he walked out of Rangipo Prison, a low security facility, in August 2001 while serving a 15-month sentence for extortion.

Police know that Pisano has links to Brighton, Croydon, Crouch End in north London, and Southampton where he was last seen on 28 July at Marlands shopping centre, however he could have since moved to other areas of the country.

As reported by EastLondonLines in July, a 28-year old man from North London was arrested in connection to the murder but has since been bailed until 23 August, pending further enquiries.