Buddhist-style tattoos pictured on the body of ‘Lewisham Man’ may solve the riddle of his death more than 10 years on (Picture: Hew Morrison/Locate International/@locateCIO)

Buddhist-style tattoos on the body of ‘Lewisham Man’ may provide a vital clue in solving the riddle of his death more than a decade on. 

The rough outlines, possibly added in Thailand, are thought to be of the ‘Sak Yant’ style which offers protection against magical and physical harm.

A team of volunteer detectives at Locate International has reissued the images and created a new portrait in a fresh appeal for information.

The East Asian man, aged between 40 and 50, has remained unidentified after being found collapsed in the street in Lewisham, south London, on April 1, 2010, having suffered a cardiac arrest.  

He was taken to Lewisham Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

There was an Oyster card, a mobile phone and four tablets found in his possession but nothing which led to his identification. 

His distinguishing features include four tattoos on his legs and arms, which may have been inked in the Far East, possibly Thailand.

But other than the distinctive markings, there has been little to go on.

Civilian investigator Bill Anderson and facial recognition expert Hew Morrison are now working as part of the UK charity’s dedicated investigation team to throw fresh light on the cold case.  

A new image has been provided of the deceased in a fresh appeal by Locate International (Picture: Hew Morrison/Locate International/@locateCIO)

Mr Anderson, a former police officer with experience in the UK and Hong Kong, said: ‘This is a case where we have extremely limited information; for example we don’t know what clothing the gentleman was wearing at the time, which might trigger someone’s memory.   

‘He did have certain items in his possession, including a mobile phone, four unidentified tablets and an Oyster card suggesting he was travelling at least locally, and it would be incredibly helpful to know more details about those.

‘What is unusual, and hinders us further, is that we don’t even know the exact location where he was found, other than it has been described as a Lewisham street. We have heard from one individual involved with public burial funeral arrangements who recalled a case around the same time from the “Ladywell Fields” area of Lewisham which provides a further piece of information that might be useful.

‘Cases like this can be frustrating when you have such limited information but it does drive the investigators to find out everything they possibly can about the individual concerned and the circumstances surrounding their death or disappearance.’

The man’s left upper arm tattoo (Picture: via Locate International/@locateCIO)

Lewisham Man’s right shoulder (Picture: via Locate International/@locateCIO)

The unknown man is described by the National Crime Agency’s UK Missing Persons Unit as ‘oriental’ and of slim build. He had four tattoos on his body in a style known as Sak Yant, meaning protection from harm, where the markings are added using bamboo.

The designs include a square with three rising pinnacles on the upper right arm, a circle with five rising pinnacles on the upper left arm, a dog-like animal with a spear shape on the front right thigh, and a mermaid-style image on the front left thigh.  

Buddhist monks are known to practise the style of tattooing but the team, which has carried out extensive enquiries since it was established in April, has so far not been able to ascertain the exact meaning.  

‘Clearly, the major feature of this case is the series of four Sak Yant tattoos on his upper arms and thighs common to the Buddhist belief that they offer protection from harm,’ Mr Anderson said.  

‘While they are not unique, and are of the kind that people might get on holiday in the Far East, they are, nevertheless distinctive, having been produced using the traditional “bamboo-poked” style and may potentially signify that someone is Buddhist. We have consulted an expert in Thailand who has said this is more than likely.  

‘We are hoping this might jog someone’s memory, and it might even be that the first responders or Lewisham hospital staff are able to shed further light on where he was found, his clothing and any other details we are not currently aware of. Was he alive on being found or on arrival at hospital? Did someone come in and ask about him?  

‘There’s always some chance that these questions will be answered but we will do everything we can to solve the mystery of a man who has been unidentified for more than a decade.’   

Do you recognise these markings? The tattoos on the thighs of the Lewisham Man (Picture: via Locate International/@locateCIO)

Forensic artist Hew Morrison was able to produce a new depiction of how the Lewisham Man would have looked at the time of his death.

The imaging expert, who lives on the Thai island of Koh Lanta, studied a mortuary photograph that was at a slightly awkward angle before producing the frontal portrait using software and his vast library of stock images. 

‘After creating the image, I did extensive research into the meaning of these tattoos, including asking numerous tattoo artists here in Thailand and also an author on the subject, but unfortunately to no avail,’ Mr Morrison said.

‘The symbolism used in these types of tattoos relates directly to the Buddhist faith and there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of these types of designs out there. 

‘For me, as a person who works in human identification, I believe that it is imperative that nobody should remain unidentified, no matter how much time has gone by since their passing.

‘There is, of course, the family and friends of that person to take into consideration, as every day that passes will be a painful reminder to them of that person’s absence.’ 

Someone’s loved one: Images from Locate International (Picture: Locate International/@locateCIO)

Locate was founded by two former detectives who came to understand that police forces only have limited resources to continue missing people and unidentified bodies cold cases.

The charity now has almost 350 volunteer investigators, mostly in the UK, including a former radiologist, an accountant and a marketing executive. 

Last year, Locate investigated 128 cases and solved 26, a ratio of around one in five. But the charity’s main aim is to ensure every case is investigated as fully as possible rather than to crack every mystery it picks up. 

Locate’s CEO and co-founder Dave Grimstead said: ‘We understand if there is any reluctance to come forward with information in this case, but you can contact us confidentially, and there is no need for you to give us any personal information. 

‘If you think you recognise him in any way, or if any of the tattoos sound familiar, then please contact us: even the smallest piece of information can help our investigation.’ 

If you have any information, please contact Locate International by emailing [email protected], calling 0300 102 1011 or visiting https://locate.international/lewisham-man-appeal-2023/ 

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