A global manhunt for the man suspected of killing his lover and leaving him to decompose in a flat has now been called off.

Last July, the body of Michael Polding, 62, was found last July in a Brighton flat too decayed to determine the cause of death.

Police launched the worldwide search for Ricardo Pisano, the man who is believed to have been the last person to see Polding alive.

Pisano was arrested in Southampton and is currently being questioned by Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team in Brighton.

In a statement, Sussex Police said: ‘There had been an international search for Mr Pisano also known as Ricky, Ree and Brandom Victor Pillay, who has links to South Africa and New Zealand, after he was believed to have been the last person to see Michael Polding alive.

‘The search has included liaison with law enforcement agencies and the public via a dedicated website seeking information.’

In April, a coroner returned a verdict of unlawful killing at an inquest into Polding’s death.

While the exact cause of death is unknown, Polding died with a number of injuries including broken ribs and a fractured collar bone.

Last December, British detectives set up a website to trace Pisano and offered a £5,000 ($7.8k, â‚¬5.9k) reward for information leading to his arrest.