Police have renewed appeals for witnesses to a “cowardly” attack outside Waterloo Station in November which left a man in a critical condition.
An image and CCTV footage of a man police want to identify has been released as part of the appeal in a bid to encourage witnesses to come forward.
The victim is being treated for life-threatening injuries in hospital four months later.
The 27-year-old victim had been seen standing at the bottom of the steps to the station’s main entrance, asking for cigarettes from members of the public.
Police said ‘he appeared upset and was seen crying, although he but was not any causing concern and appeared harmless.
‘A female passer-by then appeared to take offence with him asking for cigarettes and began shouting at him.’
The suspect then approached and got into an argument with the 27-year-old, police said, before walking away to nearby Mepham Street with the victim following.
They stopped when the suspect is said to have punched the man in the face, making him fall backwards and hit his head on the floor.
The suspect ran off through an adjacent archway and crossed the road towards the Imax cinema.
The victim was rushed to hospital, where he still remains in a critical condition four months later.
The man police want to identify is described as white, aged between twenty and thirty, 6ft 2’’ tall, of a large stocky build.
He has short cropped hair and clean-shaven face.
He was wearing a bright-red Adidas jacket/hooded top with a white logo in the middle, blue jeans and white trainers and was carrying a black gym bag.
His accent has been described as ‘southern English/cockney’.
Detective Constable Alex Atkinson, said: “We have carried out extensive enquiries to locate the man who was captured on CCTV fleeing the scene of this cowardly attack.
“Due to the location, it is possible that the man lives outside of London and may commute via Waterloo.
“Do you recognise him or the description of his clothing? I am also yet to hear from the woman who was at the scene.
“I would urge anyone with information to contact us.”
Anyone who recognises the man is asked to call officers at the Central South Command Unit – based at Walworth police station – via 101 quoting reference 8498/01Nov18.
Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
You can also tweet police via @MetCC.