Westminster murders suspect Lee Peacock found on canal barge with life-threatening injuries

Police say detectives are ‘confident’ they have found wanted 49-year-old

Lee Peacock was previously named as a person police were keen to locate in connection with an investigation into the deaths of Sharon Pickles and Clinton Ashmore (PA)

A man wanted in connection with two murders in Westminster has been found by police on a canal barge in west London with injuries described as life-threatening.

Lee Peacock was last seen at North Wembley station on 19 August, the same evening the Metropolitan Police allege he murdered two people.

In a statement, the force said detectives were “confident” they had found the 49-year-old – suggesting his identity had not yet been confirmed.

The police operation took place at around 6pm on Wednesday in a canal barge near Ferrymead Avenue in Ealing.

The statement said the man had sustained serious injuries, which they said were self-inflicted.

London Ambulance Service paramedics and the London Air Ambulance were called and the man was transported to hospital where his condition is believed to be life-threatening.

The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed and the incident was referred to the police watchdog which has indicated it will be conducting an independent investigation

On 19 August at 9.30pm, police were called to an address in Ashbridge Street, Westminster, where Sharon Pickles, 45, was pronounced dead.

At 2.15am on Friday, Clinton Ashmore, 59, was pronounced dead at an address in nearby Jerome Crescent.

The Metropolitan Police said both had died from a stab wound to the neck and the two incidents were being treated as linked.

Detectives issued an appeal on Friday for information about Mr Peacock, who they wanted to locate and speak to about the murders.

Police believe he knew both Ms Pickles and Mr Ashmore.

Additional reporting by PA