Police seek fatal attack witness

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Detectives have released an image of a man who may have witnessed an attack in Southport which left a man dead.

Antony Johnson, who lived locally, was fatally injured in a disturbance in Southport town centre in the early hours of 30 December.

Police are looking for a man who acted as peacemaker in a separate argument between two women and three men in Waverley Street just before the attack.

A 24-year-old man, from Formby, has appeared in court charged with murder.

The man police are looking to speak to is described as white, aged between 20 and 30, of medium build, with dark hair. He has wearing a dark-coloured jacket.

Det Insp David Keegan, of Merseyside Police, said detectives were still looking for witnesses who were in the Lord Street or Waverley Street areas at about 0400 GMT.

Mr Johnson was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital

"I would particularly like to hear from a man who tried to break up a heated argument between two women and three men in Waverley Street," he said.

"We believe this was a separate incident which happened very nearby and therefore this man may have seen something that could be crucial to our investigation.

"You are not in any trouble, we just need to know if you witnessed anything that could help us."

Mr Johnson suffered fatal head injuries during a separate disturbance and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.