Beheaded man led 'alternative' lifestyle

A pensioner beheaded by an axeman in a London street was a homosexual who led an " alternative" lifestyle, it emerged today.

Brian Messitt, 67, died after a frenzied attack in Belsize Park on Monday morning.

It was revealed he had spent much of the past 10 years in India and became openly gay after splitting from his wife. Distraught relatives of Mr Messitt spoke for the first time as Joseph Sheehan, 37, a waiter from Camden, was due to appear today at Highbury Corner magistrates' court charged with his murder. Mr Messitt's brother Desmond, 57, said: "I just can't accept this has happened. Brian spent a lot of his time in India. He led an alternative lifestyle."

Pol ice sources say that diaries and personal papers show that the two men knew each other - but they are still mystified as to what the connection was between them.

Mr Messitt had been living with son Sean and his girlfriend at their flat in Hampstead.