Britain's most wanted Kevin Parle 'may have been seen last month' says TV detective who

WANTED: Kevin Parle (left) and how he might look now (Merseyside Police)

A FORMER undercover detective, who was vowed to track down Britain's most wanted fugitive, says the double murder suspect could have been sighted as recently as last month.

Peter Bleksley, who until February hosted the Channel 4 reality TV show Hunted, was "inundated with information" after he spent time in Liverpool - the home town of suspect Kevin Parle - to kick off his search.

Parle has been on the run for 14 years and Merseyside Police has failed to issue any recent appeals for information.

He is suspected of shooting dead 16-year-old Liam Kelly in 2004 and Lucy Hargreaves, 22, a year later.

Mr Bleksley headed to Liverpool last week after announcing the hunt at a press conference during which he warned Parle "I am coming for you" and that "his days were numbered".

HUNTER: Former detective Peter Bleksley (Peter Bleksley/Twitter)

He said police appeals were often one-dimensional and he wanted to put more flesh on the bones about the 6ft 5in, privately-educated suspect.

Speaking after the first visit to Liverpool, he said: "I've had a phone call from the same source, on two separate occasions, from a man who firmly believes he saw Kevin Parle late in April.

"He gave me the date, the time, and the location... it's not in the UK, and I have passed that information onto Merseyside Police."

He did not reveal his source's identity.

Mr Bleksley added: "It was a very interesting and informative four days up there with a huge amount of publicity.

"I went into bars and handed out flyers and engaged with members of the public asking if they had heard of Parle or if they knew who he was.

"Most said no they have never heard of him, but after 36 hours after they saw in on TV news, online and heard it on radio, they were outraged and said he really should be caught.

"Public awareness changed in such a short space of time and it just inspires you to keep going.

"I was contacted by sources through Twitter, Facebook and by phone with some very interesting information.

"There was so much information I had to spend the weekend prioritising where to go next with it."

Mr Bleksley said he now has a team helping him, including "army people, ethical hackers, private security people, private investigators and ex police".

He would not say if he had been given any specific possible locations for Parle or if he would soon be travelling overseas.

Merseyside Police will not officially help him, but have welcomed any information he receives.

Mr Bleksley was surprised the force has not put out any recent appeals for information about Parle and how few people in Liverpool had heard of him.

He said: "After over 14 years and with police with dramatically reduced number and huge-pressure workloads and resources stretched, I would be extremely surprised if they have got even one dedicated officer looking for Parle."

He added that people in Liverpool were loathe to "grass" on criminals, but that Parle had crossed the line if he had murdered a teenager and a mother, so they were more likely to put that aside in this case.

MURDERED: Lucy Hargreaves

Ms Hargreaves was shot dead on a sofa after three men burst into her home in Walton, Liverpool, on August 3 2005.

The living room and hall were then set on fire with petrol.

It is believed Lucy's partner Gary Campbell, was the intended target, but he escaped the flames by jumping from upstairs with his daughter.

No one has been convicted over the murder.

Police also want Parle, now 39, and also known as Joseph Kenneth Parle, in connection with the murder of 16-year-old Liam Kelly in the early hours of June 19 2004 in Dingle, Merseyside.

SHOT: Liam Kelly

Police believe the teenager was approached by two men from different directions, both armed with guns.

Although he tried to run and get into a house, he was shot in the chest and arm and died at the scene from a chest injury.

Three other people have been convicted over the Killing, but it is suspected Parle was involved.

Parle has blue eyes, ginger hair and a one inch scar on the left side of his head.

Liverpool John Moores University produced a series of images of what Parle may look like now.

The last potential sighting was made by police in Perth, Western Australia, in 2015.

Detectives initially believed Parle fled to the US, but then the Costa Blanca area of Spain, after there were possible sightings in autumn 2005 in the Torrevieja area.

The tourist-hotspot region of Alicante was also thought to be another possibility, but Parle has been able to stay one step ahead of investigators.

Mr Bleksley said the self-funded search was not an ego trip, but he is penning a book about the hunt.