Kildare man held in body in car inquiry

[Gman496]

Gardaí investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in the boot of a car in Dublin yesterday evening believe she could have been shot dead.

Newcastle Man has been arrested


A 45-year-old Kildare man has been arrested.

A post mortem examination is due to be carried out this afternoon and the victim has yet to be identified.

The discovery in a rented garage outside the village of Newcastle, Co Dublin, was made following searches by detectives investigating the disappearance of Helen Donegan.

The 30-year-old has been missing from her home at St Patrick's Park in Celbridge, Co Kildare, since 6 May.

She had been living there with her partner. Detectives suspected that some harm had come to her.

An incident room has been set up at Clondalkin Garda Station and the scene remains sealed off today for a forensic and technical examination.

The man is being detained at Clondalkin under the provisions of section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

Gardaí are interested in hearing from anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in St Patrick's Park, Celbridge, between 4 May and 17 May.

Or, anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in Kilmactalway, Aylmer Rd, Newcastle, and Newcastle village between 4 May and 22 June.

Gardaí are also interested in the movement of a silver grey Saab Estate, registration 02 D, and a blue Seat Estate.

Detectives can be contacted at Clondalkin on 01-6667600.

Shock in Celbridge

Locals in Celbridge say they are shocked following the discovery of a body in a car in nearby Newcastle.

This morning prayers were offered at the local Catholic church during morning mass.

Locals in the town say they are saddened by the death of the Dublin woman who had come to live in the area.

 

[wheelo]

this is a sad reminder what our society has become.

 

[moh]

Death of woman found in boot 'was an accident'

28/06/2010

Update​

A man charged with the murder of a mother-of-one found in the boot of a car told detectives her death was an accident, a court heard today.

Helen Donegan’s badly decomposed remains were discovered in the back of a silver grey Saab estate car outside a rented garage in Newcastle, Co Dublin, last week.

Bernard Curran, whose address was given as no fixed abode, was arrested in Clondalkin, west Dublin last Tuesday and appeared briefly today at Blanchardstown District Court accused of the 30-year-old’s murder.
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Detective Sergeant Declan Dunne, of Clondalkin Garda Station, told the court that when he was charged, Curran, 52, replied: “I don’t know what to say.”

The officer said he added: “I suppose just it was an accident, it was not intentional.”

Curran, who appeared in court wearing a navy shirt and jeans, was remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court on Thursday.

Judge Patrick McMahon also granted applications for legal aid and psychiatric and psychological reports.

Ms Donegan, from Ballyfermot, west Dublin, who had a 12-year-old son, had been missing for almost seven weeks.

She was last seen at her rented home in St Patrick’s Park, Celbridge, Co Kildare, on the morning of May 6.

A post-mortem examination showed she died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Detectives believe she was murdered shortly after she went missing from her house. Her disappearance was reported 11 days later.

Last Tuesday night gardai found her remains during a search outside a transport yard at Kilmactalway, Aylmer Road, in Newcastle. DNA tests and dental records were needed to identify her.

Garda technical experts have carried out tests at the lock-up, a second Kildare garage where the body was stored for a time and on a recovered shotgun.