Man arrested in connection with "vicious and sustained" murder of "Harry Potter collector" Adrian Greenwood

Previously detectives said they had been hunting a potentially wounded attacker who stabbed the Harry Potter book collector to death in his Oxford home, during a "vicious and sustained" assault.

Thames Valley Police announced that a 50-year-old-man from Peterborough was arrested before 11pm on Sunday night in the Cambridgeshire town, on suspicion of his murder. 

An unsuspecting cleaner stumbled upon the body of Mr Greenwood in the hallway of his four-storey Iffley Road home on Thursday afternoon.

A murder investigation was launched on Saturday after a post mortem examination revealed the 42-year-old art dealer had died as a result of multiple stab wounds to his chest and neck.

Mr Greenwood was last seen on CCTV outside Sainsbury's in Kidlington on Tuesday 

Another man had been arrested on Thursday but was released on Saturday without charge.

Senior investigating officer Det Chief Insp Kev Brown of the major crime unit today renewed a plea for help from people who knew Mr Greenwood. 

He said: “We continue to urge for the public’s help to find out what happened to Adrian Greenwood. It’s crucial that anyone with any information about Mr Greenwood’s background or the murder comes forward as soon as possible.

“The investigation team would like to hear from anyone who has details about Mr Greenwood’s associates, or anyone or has had a personal or business engagement with him in the last few weeks.

“I would like to thank all those members of the public who have already come forward with information. A number of lines of enquiry are being pursued."

He said police were re-releasing the CCTV image of Mr Greenwood outside Sainsbury's in Kidlington, adding: “I would like to reassure the public that we are conducting a thorough investigation into this vicious murder.

“A cordon will remain in place at the scene and we will continue to carry out work there today. 

“Our condolences and thoughts are with Mr Greenwood’s family at this difficult time.”

Friends of Mr Greenwood said they were "devastated" by the news of the death of the historian, author and art dealer.

Book dealer Tom Lintern-Mole, who runs the Oxford Book Fair, spoke of his shock.

Mr Lintern-Mole, 29, said book dealers gathered at the Bloomsbury Book Fair in London on Sunday were horrified by Mr Greenwood's death.

The Oxford University graduate added: "It was the talk of the fair - a lot of people there knew Adrian and we were all expressing our shock, horror and great sadness.

"I first met Adrian at book fairs when I was about 16 and he was always very nice and encouraging.

"Sometimes at the Bloomsbury fair he would share a stand with an old lady who was a dealer and he would help her shift her boxes if she needed a hand.

"I was at Oxford from 2005 to 2008 and we mixed in the same circles then, partly because I had already worked in the book trade.

"We had mutual friends and would drink in the same pubs - the King's Arms and the Gardener's Arms."

Mr Lintern-Mole said Mr Greenwood was a "thoroughly nice chap" and had been in touch last month on Facebook about the forthcoming Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association Oxford book fair taking place on April 23 and April 24.

"He messaged me to say that he had downloaded tickets and was going to pop along and visit," said Mr Lintern-Mole, who is organising the book fair at Oxford Brookes University's Wheatley campus.

He added: "I will be saying something at the fair in memory of Adrian.

"I know everyone in the trade will do anything they can to help the police investigation - it's a very close-knit trade."

Andrew Hunter, of Blackwell's rare books department, who has worked in the antiquarian book trade for more than 40 years, said staff at the department knew Mr Greenwood and were "shocked and saddened" to hear of his death.

Joe Smith, director of JS Fine Art Auctioneers in Bodicote, Banbury, said he had known Mr Greenwood for the past 15 years.

The 46-year-old said: "When we found out we took the night off - it was such a shock.

"Adrian was a very likeable chap and often came here.

"He was last here on March 31 to view items for a sale - two of his specialities were 18 and 19th century engravings and factual history books.

"He had great academic knowledge for his subject and was happy to share that knowledge with you - his specialist knowledge in certain fields perhaps outweighed ours.

"Adrian could easily have been an academic lecturer but he chose the antiques trade because he liked the variety.

"I know he went to four or five auctions a week - he covered a lot and his market would have been worldwide.

"He didn't keep vast stocks - he was a businessman and wanted to turn stuff around.

"It's very sad news and I very much feel for his family."

A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder was released without charge on Saturday.

Thames Valley Police said just before 11pm on Sunday a 50-year-old-man from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, was arrested in Peterborough on suspicion of the murder.

It is believed a fight broke out between Mr Greenwood and an unknown number of attackers in his hallway before the Oxford alumni was stabbed to death.

It is not known why the fight erupted or what weapon was used to kill Mr Greenwood.

Detective Superintendent Chris Ward said the attacker was very likely to have been injured in the scuffle.

Now police are on the hunt for the attacker, who is believed to be known to Mr Greenwood and potentially from the incident.

Det Supt Ward added: "The post mortem confirmed Mr Greenwood died following a vicious and sustained attack.

"We believe an altercation has taken place in the hallway of this house.

"It is very likely the offender may have injuries as a result of this altercation."

Although a 26-year-old man was arrested and quizzed in connection with the suspected murder, he was released without charge on Saturday.

Det Supt Ward (pictured) told reporters during a press conference he anticipated further arrests will be made, although he had an "open mind" about the motive.

The head of the TVP's major crime unit said it is believed the answers to the Mr Greenwood's death lay in his personal and business life.

He added: "What we know historically is, although this is extremely rare, when they do happen historically there is a link between the victim and the offender.

"That's why it's very important for anyone who spoke to him, knows him or has seen him to contact us so that we can build a picture up of his lifestyle and associates.

Forensic officers scour the window sills for clues 

• AS IT UNFOLDED: Police called to Iffley Road on Thursday afternoon 

Today police forensic officers were still at Mr Greenwood's home combing the area for clues into the circumstances surrounding how he was stabbed to death.

Crime scene investigators could be seen searching through bins, hedges and drains along the street in the hope of discovering vital clues or the murder weapon.

The four-storey house, owned by Mr Greenwood since 2002, remains cordoned off along with three other nearby properties while forensic teams continued searching for clues.

Officers are sifting through CCTV footage and sniffer dog units are being brought in to try to track down the attacker.

Mr Greenwood was last seen was last seen at the Sainsbury's supermarket in Kidlington on Tuesday night.

Picture from Thames Valley Police

But Reverend James Paice, who studied at Oxford University's Christ Church college with Mr Greenwood in the early 90s, said he had spoken to his friend the next day.

The 44-year-old vicar from Wimbledon, south London, contacted police after hearing about Mr Greenwood's death because the pair had spoken on Facebook at 11.35am on Wednesday.

He said Mr Greenwood's friends were "devastated by his death and added: "He was a very sociable, witty, amusing and likeable person.

"Although I hadn't seen him for many years, a mutual friend of mine was still in touch with him and I would always ask how Adrian was doing.

"In a sense he was a bit of an Arthur Daley type character. He liked to wheel and deal.

"I had a message on Facebook from him at 11.35am on Wednesday. We were just chatting about an old telephone he had found.

"One can only assume it was him posting back rather than the person in the house, as I think it is rather doubtful that someone would go to that length."

Mr Greenwood described himself on his own website, as an historian, biographer, author and art dealer with a particular interest in nineteenth century British military history.

His neighbour, Edward Millard said Mr Greenwood was "very polite and pleasant" when they crossed paths.

Mr Millard said: "We only really saw him in the gardening season, but he came across as a nice guy and quite private.

"There is always someone coming along the road, or a car, it's rarely completely quiet.

"The most vulnerable area is the road directly behind these houses, it is very dark down there, anyone could walk down there.

"We thought we would have heard a noise, but we didn't know anything until the police arrived."

Superintendent Christian Bunt, local policing area commander for Oxford, reassured the public that “this type of murder is extremely rare in Oxford”.

He said police were doing everything they could to establish what happened, as well as going door-to-door and sifting through CCTV footage.

He added: “Our condolences and thoughts are with Mr Greenwood’s family at this difficult time. They have asked that their privacy is respected.”

Mr Greenwood's father, Jeremy, is said to be a respected historian, lecturer and researcher who has written a number of books.

In 2012, the Oxford Mail reported that Adrian Greenwood admitted common assault after deliberately running down a council worker outside his house after a lengthy battle over East Oxford parking restrictions.

Mr Greenwood, who had organised a petition against the loss of parking bays in Iffley Road, struck county council line painter Stephen Washington with his Vauxhall Vectra estate.

And in 2014 Mr Greenwood featured in the Oxford Mail again after resorting to taking photographs of overflowing bins claiming Oxford City Council wasn’t doing enough to tackle rubbish left near his home.

Among Mr Greenwood’s specialities of books was the Harry Potter series. In November 2010 one of his first edition Harry Potter books was reported stolen from a gallery in Woodstock.  

After Adrian appeared on ITV and BBC explaining how difficult the book would be to sell on, the thief was said to have panicked and abandoned the book in a carrier bag outside a branch of Boots in Abingdon.

Police have appealed for anyone with information about Mr Greenwood's associates, or anyone or has had a personal or business engagement with him in the last few weeks. 

Supt Christian Bunt, local policing area commander for Oxford, said the cordon at the scene was expected to remain “for a number of days.”

He added: “Our condolences and thoughts are with Mr Greenwood’s family at this difficult time. They have asked that their privacy is respected.”