Police have launched a public appeal to trace a man who was filmed in conversation with a woman on a railway bridge in North London, nearly two weeks before she was found dead on the tracks. The man is not suspected of any wrongdoing, but detectives believe he could provide crucial information about the woman's state of mind in the period before her death.
Details of the CCTV sighting
Investigators have released CCTV images showing the man sitting and talking with the woman on Kilburn Priory Bridge for approximately 20 minutes. The encounter took place on the evening of Saturday, July 5, between 8.10pm and 8.30pm. The pair were seen talking and smoking together before the man departed, leaving the woman alone on the bridge.
The discovery on the tracks
Nearly two weeks later, just after midnight on Thursday, July 17, emergency services were called to the railway line at Kilburn following reports of a casualty. Police and ambulance crews attended, and a woman was pronounced dead at the scene. While the death is not currently being treated as suspicious, officers are continuing their enquiries to establish the full circumstances.
Appeal for information
Detective Constable Rachel Parfitt, leading the investigation for British Transport Police, emphasised the importance of the man coming forward. "We would like to speak to the man pictured, who is not suspected of any criminal involvement, to assist our investigation into the woman’s death," she said.
"Having spoken to the woman near to the location she died in the weeks before, they may have valuable insight or information as to the wider circumstances that led up to their death. We urge them to get in touch to help us bring this investigation to a close and to help bring the woman’s family some much needed closure."
The force is asking the man, or anyone who recognises him, to make contact using the following methods:
- Text British Transport Police on 61016.
- Call the incident line on 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 17 of 17 July.
- Contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Anyone with information is urged to come forward to aid the ongoing investigation.
