A murder investigation has been launched after the death of a man who was assaulted in Beckenham last month.

On Saturday (November 20), the Met Police confirmed that Riccardo Holness, 42, had passed away in hospital last Friday (November 12) after an attack in Beckenham weeks ago left him in a critical condition.

In an appeal that urged the public to contact investigators with any information they might have, police described how Holness suffered head injuries during the assault, which took place at 1.22am on Sunday, October 17, on Beckenham High Street.

He was taken to hospital in a critical condition where he died nearly a month later on November 12.

A post-mortem examination on Wednesday, 17 November gave the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head.

A 26-year-old man was arrested on Monday, 18 October on suspicion of GBH and subsequently bailed pending further enquiries.

Detective Inspector Dave Blair, from Specialist Crime, said Riccardo's family had been left "distraught" by his passing as he urged people to help with the investigation if they could.

"Our thoughts remain with Riccardo’s family who are understandably distraught at what has happened. We are working hard to establish the facts of the incident and would ask anyone who witnessed the assault or who has any information to contact us as soon as possible," he said.

Information can be provided by calling police on 101 and giving the reference 536/17OCT21.

Alternatively, it can be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.