The police chief investigating the murder of Bradford grandfather Clement Desmier has urged anyone with a “guilty secret” to knock down the wall of silence protecting his killers.

Detective Superintendent Mark Ridley vowed that the perpetrators of the brutal death of the popular former musician would be brought to justice.

But he urged those with inside information to break their silence for the sake of Mr Desmier’s distraught family.

Mr Desmier, 68, known as Butch, was found at his home in Rowlestone Rise, Greengates, on August 23. He had died from multiple injuries and his house had been ransacked. Intensive forensic examinations of items police recovered from the house are continuing.

And detectives are anxious to identify three men who are vital to the murder inquiry. One went into Mr Desmier’s house with him, at 4.20pm, on August 22 – the last sighting of him alive.

Two further suspects were seen acting suspiciously, entering Mr Desmier’s house at 3am the following morning – 12 hours before his body was found.

Det Supt Ridley, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, who is heading the murder inquiry, said: “I am convinced that one or more of those three people will have told somebody something about why they were at the address and, more importantly, confided in somebody in relation to what they know about the murder of Butch Desmier. We haven’t heard from that person.

“Those three people are crucial. At the very least they will be able to provide us with very useful information about Butch in those last few hours of his life. We are mindful that one or more of those people is likely to be responsible for the murder of Butch.

“Someone close to those people will know. I am confident one, if not more, of those individuals will have confided in somebody. Someone has got a guilty secret and I would appeal to that person to come forward.”

Police have spoken to more than 700 people since the murder and distributed more than 12,000 leaflets around Greengates and Ravenscliffe appealing for information.

Det Supt Ridley revealed that a £5,000 reward, being offered by the Crimestoppers charity for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mr Desmier’s killers, has now been extended for a further three months.

Detectives are also working with BBC TV’s Crimewatch programme, which will screen a reconstruction and appeal with new information later this month.

Det Supt Ridley said: “Butch was an elderly man and was subjected to a brutal and sustained attack which resulted in his murder.

“We hoped we would have a better response to our media appeals. There could be a number of reasons why people may not wish to tell the police who was responsible. They could be in fear. It may be that, for whatever reason, they feel uncomfortable telling the police.

“What I would say is people can provide information anonymously through the Crimestoppers charity.

“Butch’s family is still distraught by the murder and is seeking answers to what happened.

“It is a challenging investigation, but I remain confident. The answers lie here in Bradford. Somebody out there knows who is responsible.”

Anyone with any information can contact police on 101, or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111. Information can also be texted to police on 07786 200805.