Blackheath assault: Police looking for four women as murder investigation into Oliver Dearlove death launched

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A murder investigation has been launched after a 30-year-old man died in an assault on a south-east London street.

Police were called to reports of a man assaulted in Tranquil Vale, Blackheath at 12:45am on Sunday, Scotland Yard said.

Oliver Dearlove, a banker from nearby Eltham, was taken to an east London hospital, where he died just after 10.20pm.

Detectives have said they are particularly keen to speak to a group of up to four white women who were seen speaking to Mr Dearlove moments before he was killed.

A post-mortem examination will be carried out at Greenwich Mortuary on Tuesday.

Mr Dearlove, who worked for the private bank Duncan Lawrie and had previously worked for then exclusive bank Coutts, used by the Queen, had been out in Blackheath with friends from university when he was allegedly punched by an unknown attacker.

No arrests have been made and enquiries are still on-going.

His mother, Joy Wright, told the Guardian: “He and his friends all met up, had lunch, dinner, drinks. He texted his girlfriend that he loved her around 10pm. Someone picked a fight, punched him and [he] fell backwards and that was it.

“He was just perfect. I’m in a state of shock [...] I’m absolutely devastated for him. [He had] so much more life to live.”

Mr Dearlove's girlfriend of four years, Claire Wheatley, said: “We were trying to get some money together so we could buy a house together. We had big plans. We were planning on having a baby as well."

DCI Lee Watling of the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "We are retaining an open mind at this stage of the investigation with regards to a motive and our primary aim is to establish how Mr Dearlove came to receive the injuries which led to his death.

"We are appealing for anyone who was at Tranquil Vale who witnessed the incident in particular a group of up to four white females who Mr Dearlove and his friends were speaking to around the time the offence occurred."

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 0208 721 4205 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.