New Year's Day killer still at large after stabbing in Sheffield

Joshua Green, aged 27, was knifed when violence flared on the dance floor at the Stars and Mayfair Party Suites on Queens Road in the early hours of New Year's Day, 2012.

Joshua was involved in confrontation during which another man and a woman were also stabbed but survived.

In another disturbance just moments before the stabbing, a man was knocked unconscious at the party and further brawls broke out when police officers arrived.

Despite a knife arch having been installed at the main entrance to the venue to help security staff screen revellers, weapons still managed to get inside.

Detectives who investigated the murder spoke of their ‘frustration and disappointment’ at the time that a number of those at the venue, who may have witnessed the stabbing, failed to come forward.

At an inquest into the death, Detective Inspector Steve Handley said: “There were people reluctant to speak to the police because of how they live their lives.

“People who did want to were reluctant because of fear and concern because of some of the elements within the club.

“Certainly there was a mist of fear of intimidation.”

Nobody was ever charged over the murder, but when recording a verdict of 'unlawful killing' after the inquest, Sheffield coroner Chris Dorries said: “This is not the sort of matter police ever give up on.

"The people involved know they have done it and will have to wait and eventually face a knock on their door.”

Joshua was a dad and on the six month anniversary of his death, his girlfriend described the killing as ‘heart-wrenching’.

The murder is one of a number of unsolved cases regularly reviewed by South Yorkshire Police’s major incident review team, which looks at files to check that all possible lines of enquiry were followed up at the time.

The team also looks at forensic evidence retained by the force to assess whether extra testing could be beneficial because of advances in science and technology.