An anonymous poet has given vital clues to detectives investigating the murder of a father of two.

Paul Kelly, 32, was stabbed to death in the early hours of New Year’s Day outside a pub in Bath. Police believe that as many as 20 people may have witnessed his stabbing, which followed an altercation inside the Longacre Tavern.

Dozens of copies of the poem, titled Running from Paul Kelly, have appeared in the past week on lampposts and bus stops near the scene of the murder.

Not only does it name his killer, but it also tells how the murder weapon was disposed of in the River Avon. Police have recovered a knife from the spot named in the poem and it is being examined.

The poet, who has not signed his work, describes how he and other witnesses were threatened but are now ashamed that “we turned our backs”.

He warns the killer: “The truth is there like an open grave, A defenceless man is dead and his blood’s gone cold, But the story of his end is going to be told.”

Detectives appealed yesterday for the poet to come forward. They released the text but substituted the name of the alleged killer with XXXX.

Superintendent Nigel Rock, who is leading the team of 35 detectives from Avon and Somerset Police, said that the poet had valuable information. “The poem appears to reinforce our belief that a significant number of people know the identity of Paul Kelly’s killer,” he said.

“These people are still reluctant to come forward and give us the information we need to bring that killer to justice. I am saying to anyone out there who has information about who is responsible for this crime: please help this family so that they are able to come to terms with the loss of their son.”

Mr Kelly’s mother Allison, a social worker, made an emotional appeal on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme earlier this month. A £10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest.

The poet describes the killing as “black on white”, suggesting a racist motive. He uses street slang that suggests he may be black himself.

Mr Kelly had been celebrating New Year’s Eve with three friends, one of whom was heavily pregnant. He got into an argument with a group of black men which spilled out on to the street. He was stabbed in the chest by someone who appeared not to have been involved in the original altercation.

Mr Rock said that there were about 200 people in the pub that evening. “The vast majority know what happened,” he said. Eleven people were arrested, but all were later released and no one has been charged.

Detectives say that the person named in the poem was already known to them and was being investigated.

Mr Kelly had a history of drug abuse but was said to have been “turning his life” around. He had children aged 6 and 11.

Poetic justice?

“Now I will show how a few words can be made
As sharp and deadly as any bwoy’s blade
How running away will not you save
The truth is there like an open grave
A defenceless man is dead and his blood’s gone cold
But the story of his end is going to be told
You can run and run till your shoes wear thin
And hope that you’re safe, ’cos of the colour of your skin

Paul Kelly lies dead, and who held the knife?
It was you, XXXXX, we all saw take his life.

“The New Year was but a short hour old
When you and your mates were: Oh, so bold.
You put us to shame,
But we did the same.
It was black on white, so it must be right
It was you who said: “He had it coming that night.”
Then you ran away and we turned our backs.
You said we would be next if we breathed a word
We took in your threats that now sound absurd
So we closed our eyes And took in your lies

“Now your filth lies burning inside us like poison and guile.
But soon all the s***’s gonna come out, so prepare for a trial.
So where will you run when, at last, you face a brave man?
You gonna run once more through the streets, all a quiver?
Will wash yourself down in the deep, deep river?

“Yow, young XXXX, where you threw the knife,
Listen to what I say and take good heed:
You can wipe your bloody hands in the grass, till they bleed . . .
But you will never, never get them clean.
Anonymous

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