Three arrested over murder of Ayden Cooper in Sutton Coldfield

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a father of two who was stabbed in a pub car park in Sutton Coldfield.

Ayden Cooper, 25, was found with serious injuries in the car park of the Beggars Bush pub on Chester Road, New Oscott, just before 2am on Sunday 11 October. He died at the scene.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on Monday, and a second man aged 21 and a man aged 18 were arrested on Wednesday. All three remained in custody on Thursday on suspicion of murder.

"A significant development"

Detectives from the force's major crime unit have been going through hours of CCTV footage and speaking to people who were at the scene.

Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Lewis said: "These arrests are a significant development in our investigation, and we have updated Ayden's family and continue to support them."

"It's still vital that anyone who was in the area around the pub at the time, or who has any footage or information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, shares it with us."

"A heart of gold"

In a tribute released after his death, Ayden's family described him as a happy young man who was "full of life and had a heart of gold".

"Ayden was a happy lad. He was a son, brother, husband, uncle, and father to two beautiful children," they said. "Ayden was full of life and had a heart of gold, and just a few weeks shy of his 26th birthday, and we never thought as a mother and father we would be burying our son at such a young age."

"We are all still in shock and this is a very difficult and devastating time for our family. We ask that anyone with any information comes forward."

How to help

Police have set up a dedicated web page where people can upload information, photographs or video that might help the investigation. Information can also be given by calling 101 or through Live Chat on the force's website, quoting log 345 of 11 October.

Anyone who would rather not give their name can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The Beggars Bush is a large pub at a busy junction on the Chester Road, on the edge of New Oscott and Sutton Coldfield, and is a well-known landmark in the area.

The three men have not been charged, and police say their investigation is continuing. Detectives have stressed that even small pieces of information, such as dashcam or doorbell footage from the surrounding streets in the early hours of 11 October, could help them build a full picture of what happened.