The mother of Josh Hanson and police investigating his murder have made renewed appeals for information on the first anniversary of his violent death.

The 21-year-old was killed in an unprovoked attack at the RE Bar in Eastcote on October 11 2015.

Police continue to search for Shane O’Brien, originally from Ladbroke Grove and now thought to have fled overseas. A £20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and prosecution is still on offer.

Josh, from Kingsbury in Brent, was stabbed in the neck at the bar in Field End Road, shortly after 1am. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “It has now been a year since Josh’s murder and my team have spent this time carrying out extensive enquiries.

“O’Brien was quickly named as someone we urgently needed to trace and we have tracked his movements across Europe and then to Dubai where we believe he still is.

“Clearly he is being helped by others to evade police and has the ability to move around without using his own identity but we have a substantial reward available for anyone who can provide information that brings him before the courts.

The wanted poster for Josh Hanson murder suspect Shane O'Brien

“If you know anything - even if you think your information is small and insignificant - please come forward.

“Josh’s family have been so strong but they need to see the person who killed him brought to justice. As time goes on they are finding the situation desperately difficult and we really need the public’s help to find O’Brien.”

The suspect was added to the most wanted list by Crimestoppers and the National Crime Agency. At that time it was believed he could be hiding in the Netherlands. Information later indicated he had travelled to Dubai.

O’Brien is white, 6ft with grey eyes and short dark brown hair, and may use the name Troy O’Brien. He has a distinctive tattoo on his back that says ‘Shannon 15-04-06’. He should not be approached by members of the public, and any sightings of him should be reported to police on 999.

Josh’s mum Tracey said: “It is a year since my son and Brooke’s brother Josh was murdered in an unprovoked knife attack. While we have continued to move forward to do all we can to help assist the police in their endeavours to catch his murderer, we have also worked tirelessly to raise awareness of our Facebook page, the justice for Josh Hanson campaign, and raise awareness of knife crime and knife crime prevention.

“Josh was known for his kindness and light-hearted attitude and these are very much the qualities we will strive to carry on in his memory.

'Every second, minute or hour of the day that passes is filled with the pain'

“However, while we try to do all we can to leave a positive legacy for Josh we have the extremely painful and heartbreakingly sad reality that Josh is no longer a part of our family.

“Every second, minute or hour of the day that passes is filled with the pain that we have still not had the justice for Josh that he so rightly deserves.

“Brooke, myself, our family, friends and the many thousands of people who help us daily ask you to come forward if you have any information which would lead to an arrest.

“No matter how small you think this information may be we beg you to get in touch with the Met Police or Crimestoppers and help us put an end to the nightmare we are living with every day and have been for the last 12 months.”

A post mortem performed on Josh gave cause of death as haemorrhage, inhalation of blood and an incised wound to the neck.

On October 28 last year, police investigating Josh’s murder arrested two men aged 24 and 29 on an in-bound flight to the UK on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and assisting an offender.

Both remain on police bail pending further enquiries.