Man, 49, arrested in connection with murders of Sharon Pickles and Clinton Ashmore in central London
Double murder suspect, 49, is arrested on suspicion of stabbing to death woman, 45, and man, 59, at different homes in Westminster just hours apart
Man, 49, arrested on suspicion of murder of Marylebone victims with slit throats Sharon Pickles, 45, and Clinton Ashmore, 59, found dead hours apart in London Man was arrested while recovering in a London hospital and placed into custodyThe news follows a nationwide manhunt for Pickles and Ashmore’s killer
A 49-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a double murder after victims were found with their throats slit in London.
The bodies of sex worker Sharon Pickles, 45, and 59-year-old Clinton Ashmore were found with their throats cut at separate flats in the Marylebone just hours apart last Thursday evening.
Lee Peacock, 49, who was reportedly recovering from injuries in a London hospital after ‘slicing his own throat’, was arrested after a police probe and taken into custody.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: ‘This is a significant development in our investigation which I hope takes us a step closer to getting justice for the families of Sharon and Clinton.’
Scotland Yard have said the killings of 59-year-old Clinton Ashmore (left) and 45-year-old Sharon Pickles (right) may be linked but say they are keeping an open mind about the motive
The suspect was reportedly attended to by emergency services on a canal barge in Ealing, west London, on Wednesday evening after suffering serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Peacock was found with serious ‘self-inflicted injuries’ earlier this week around 10 miles from the murder scenes.
Convicted prostitute Sharon Pickles, 45, was found with her throat cut inside the ground-floor flat of a wheelchair-bound pensioner in Marylebone, central London, at around 9.30pm last Thursday night.
Less than five hours later, police discovered the body of 59-year-old Clinton Ashmore – known locally as ‘Cliff’ – at another flat five minutes walk away. His throat had also been cut.
The suspect was reportedly attended to by emergency services on a canal barge in Ealing, west London, on Wednesday evening after suffering serious but non-life threatening injuries
A post mortem confirmed that both victims died as a result of an ‘incised wound’ to the neck.
Their families have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
It has also emerged that Ms Pickles was known to police, having clocked up more than 120 convictions for prostitution offences between 1996 and 2006.
Originally from Yorkshire, she was one of two prostitutes handed an Asbo in 2006, banning her from setting foot in nearby Sussex Gardens, Paddington.
Det Ch Insp Wayne Jolley said: ‘I am aware that as a result of appeals for information issued by the police, there is more information in the public domain about this case than there might ordinarily be.
‘A man has now been arrested and it is crucial that nothing is said or reported that could risk prejudicing any future court proceedings.
‘I would urge the public and the press to avoid speculating or sharing names or images in relation to this arrest or this investigation.’
