Appeal to trace potential witness as enquires continue into death of man in the Poole area

Detectives are issuing a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to as a potential witness as they continue to investigate the death of a man in Poole, nearly a year on from the incident.

Dorset Police received a report at 8.12am on Thursday 3 April 2025 that a man had been found unresponsive in a tent in a wooded area off Holes Bay Road.

Officers attended with the ambulance service and very sadly the man – aged in his 40s and from Bournemouth – was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the man’s death, it was established that the man was assaulted in Chapel Lane in Poole at around 1.15pm on Wednesday 2 April 2025.

As part of the investigation, a 19-year-old man from Poole was arrested on suspicion of murder. He has been released under investigation as detectives from Dorset Police’s Major Crime Team (MCIT) carry out detailed enquiries into the incident.

Detective Inspector Shaun Inkpen, of MCIT, said: “We have been carrying out an extensive investigation into this death and we are continuing to keep the family of the man who sadly died fully updated.

“Following our enquiries, we are now issuing an image of a man we would like to trace as a potential witness to the reported assault in Chapel Lane in Poole on Wednesday 2 April 2025.

“I would like to stress that we are looking to speak to this individual purely as a witness, as they were in the area at the relevant time and may have information to assist our enquiries.

“If the person recognises themselves from the published image, I would ask them to please make contact with us. Alternatively, I would ask anyone who has information regarding this man’s identity to also liaise with us directly.”

View image here: https://news.dorset.police.uk/news-article/953a153b-1521-f111-9d90-6045bdd24049

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police online or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55250046778. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online using its website or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.