Shane O’Brien, who is on most wanted list over stabbing of Josh Hanson in 2015, gave false name and had altered his appearance

One of Britain’s most wanted fugitives, suspected of a murder at a west London nightclub, was arrested eight months ago in Prague, it has emerged, where he had been using Italian aliases and had dramatically changed his appearance.

Shane O’Brien left the UK on a privately chartered flight after the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Josh Hanson at the RE bar in Eastcote in the early hours of 11 October 2015 in what police say was an unprovoked attack.

Announcing an increased reward of £50,000 for information leading to O’Brien’s arrest on the second anniversary of Hanson’s death, Metropolitan police detectives revealed that the suspect, who is on the National Crime Agency’s most wanted list, had been detained in the Czech Republic in February.

O’Brien was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and assault and gave his name as Enzo Mellonceli, supported by false documentation, before being released on bail.

O’Brien’s tattoo. Photograph: PA

Mugshots show he had grown his hair to shoulder length and had a full beard and a distinctive new tattoo of an owl holding a skull, which covered up his previous “Shannon 15-04-06” tattoo.

Hanson’s mother, Tracey, said: “While we grieve, Shane O’Brien, the man the police would like to speak to in connection with my son’s murder, has yet to be caught and we still wait for justice. Justice for the most heinous crime that my son had to endure and justice to ensure that innocent people are safe.

“I hope and pray that you only ever have to imagine what I have just shared with you and it never becomes your reality, because it rips at your soul and your very being.

“Please can you help us. Josh leaves behind a sister and a family who miss and love him very much. Take a moment to look around you and if you think you may have seen O’Brien please call the police. Someone has seen him and all it takes is that one phone call to help us get justice so we can grieve in peace.”

In an interview with the Guardian in 2016, Tracey Hanson and her daughter Brooke described the hunt for O’Brien as a near full-time job.

Josh Hanson was found with a serious wound to the neck after the attack in the early hours of the morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A postmortem gave the cause of death as haemorrhage, inhalation of blood and an incised wound to the neck.

O’Brien left the UK in a privately chartered flight from Biggin Hill airport. In March 2015 he was added to the most wanted list by the NCA and Crimestoppers. At that time it was believed he could be hiding in the Netherlands.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest How O’Brien used to look. Photograph: PA

The police later received information that he had travelled to Dubai, and his arrest in Prague was his last known sighting. He had been using the Italian aliases of Enzo Mellonceli and Enzo Machado.

Police said O’Brien had boxing gloves with him when he was arrested in Prague, and they urged gym or boxing ring users to study his image.

O’Brien, originally from Ladbroke Grove, is described as white and 1.8 metres (6ft) tall with grey eyes and dark brown hair.

Police hunting O’Brien arrested two men in October 2015 on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and assisting an offender. They were bailed pending further inquiries.

DCI Noel McHugh said: “It is clear he is being helped by others to evade police and has the ability to move around without using his own identity. That is why we decided to offer such a large reward.

“£50,000 is a substantial amount of money and I hope it will encourage someone who moves in O’Brien’s circles to come forward. If you have been debating whether to make that call, just listen to the pain in the voices of Josh’s mum, Tracey, and his sister, Brooke. Your silence is denying justice to Josh’s family.”