At around 10pm officers received a report of an assault at the entrance to The Avenue car park at the junction of Avenue Road and Norwich Avenue.

Stephen Jeffries, 59, sustained a serious head injury and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Very sadly, Mr Jeffries died in hospital on Tuesday 15 September. His next of kin has been informed and the coroner has been notified.

Following enquiries, Carl Stuart Woolley, 32, of no fixed abode, was arrested and he has been charged with murder. He was due to appear at Poole Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Wednesday 16 September.

Detective Chief Inspector Jez Noyce, of the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT), said, “Our thoughts are with the family of Stephen Jeffries and a detailed investigation is underway to establish what happened on the night of the incident.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area and may have important information to assist my investigation to please get in touch.

“I would also like to hear from anyone who was driving in the area and has dashcam fitted to their vehicle to please check it for any relevant footage.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55200138046. Alternatively, to stay 100 per cent anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or call Freephone 0800 555 111.