Philip McCauliffe: Murder investigators say Sheffield public hesitating to come forward with information

Detectives investigating the death of man who was found in a flat in Gleadless Valley one week ago are making a direct appeal for help to his community.

Philip McCauliffe, 67, was found dead in a property on Ironside Walk in Gleadless at around 1.30pm last Friday (December 15).

It is believed he was the victim of an assault outside a flat on Ironside Walk on the day before (December 14).

Since then, two men aged 39 and 35 and a woman aged 37 have been arrested on suspicion of murder and bailed pending further enquiries.

Now, South Yorkshire Police say they feel residents in Gleadless Valley who may hold vital information about Philip's death are hesitating to come forward.

Detective Inspector Simon Cartwright said: "It is now seven days since Philip was sadly found dead. Since then, we have been working 24/7 to understand what happened and trace those responsible for his death. Our enquiries are continuing at pace and include a large CCTV trawl and ongoing visits to witnesses. "Today, one week on since Philip’s body was discovered, I am asking members of the community to step up and tell us what you know. I believe the answers we need are held within the community – if you know something, I urge you to do the right thing and pass on the information which may be the final piece of our jigsaw. "I appreciate some local people may not want to speak to the police directly. There are other ways to pass on what you know, including through independent charity Crimestoppers. You can remain entirely anonymous and we will never know your identity. Please help us seek justice for Philip."

The senior investigating officer added that because of an appeal last week, officers have been able to find a next of kin for Philip, who police previously thought had no relatives.

DI Cartwright said: "We previously appealed for any family members of Philip to come forward as we had been unable to trace a next of kin. As a result of this appeal, we have been able to trace some relatives and identify a next of kin. We really appreciate everybody who spread the word and helped us to make contact with his family, who have been offered our full support."

Anyone with information is asked to call South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting investigation number 14/219145/23 when you get in touch.

If you prefer not to give your personal details, you can stay anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers. Call their UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111 or complete a simple and secure anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org.