Killer may have left pub with gay victim

THE MAN detectives believe may be the serial killer strangling London's homosexuals may have picked up his last victim outside a pub and accompanied him home by train, Scotland Yard said last night, writes Terry Kirby.

Sometime after leaving an Earl's Court pub frequented by homosexuals at about 9.45pm on Saturday 12 June, Emanuel Spiteri was joined by a tall man who was seen with him on his journey to his home in south-east London. Witnesses told police yesterday they saw Spiteri, who was bald and dressed in black leather trousers, accompanied by a man on a train which was heading towards the Hither Green station in south-east London. Another sighting of the two was made closer to his home.

Spiteri is believed to have gone from Earl's Court to Charing Cross station, which was closed and caught a shuttle service to Cannon Street in the City of London. Scotland Yard said last night the witness's accounts matched the description issued by police on Wednesday. It said it was important for more witnesses to come forward who might have seen the two to obtain an better description of the man.

The man is described as white, between 30 and 40, heavily built, with a full or fattish face and short dark brown hair. He was clean-shaven with discoloured teeth and wore a short dark jacket and jeans.