AN ESCAPED convict named as a suspect in a murder investigation has been seen in a Southampton shopping centre.

He is Ricardo Pisano who police want to question following the discovery earlier this year of 62-year-old Michael Polding’s body at his Brighton flat.

Police have now released CCTV footage which shows Pisano’s last sighting in Southampton walking around The Marlands shopping centre.

Pisano, who has a number of aliases and might have changed his appearance, walked out of a New Zealand correctional unit in 2001 where he was serving a sentence for fraud.

Speaking at a press conference Detective Chief Inspector Nick May said Pisano is the only person out of 55 to avoid capture after escaping from prisons in the Waikato area of New Zealand between 2001 and 2011.

He was named “New Zealand’s most elusive jailbreaker” in the country’s press after he walked out of Tongariro-Rangipo Prison in 2001.

The New Zealand authorities failed to find him, suspecting he had fled Australasia, and Pisano moved to the UK where he befriended Michael Polding about four years ago.

Mr Polding’s body was discovered in his first-floor flat on July 16 and by this time Pisano, also known as Brandon Victor Pillay, Ree and Ricky, had gone.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Polding had injuries which caused his death and a murder investigation was launched.

Yesterday DCI May took the unusual step of naming Pisano as a wanted man.

He said he believed Pisano had murdered Mr Polding before leaving Brighton.

Pisano lived with Mr Polding in his flat in Brighton for about nine months having moved from Croydon, South London.

Pisano was captured on CCTV in the The Marlands shopping centre on July 28 and the footage shows him holding a bag.

But police have admitted he could now have fled the country. He has links to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Within the UK he has connections to Brighton, Southampton, Croydon and Crouch End in North London.

Ports, airports and other police forces are all on the lookout.

DCI May said: “He is originally from South Africa and speaks with a South African accent. He is about 35 years old and has also lived in New Zealand.

A 28-year-old North London man has also been arrested on suspicion of murder and bailed until August 23.

If you can help police call 101 quoting Operation Journal.