Welsh police believe remains may be those of missing Wexford woman

Unidentified human remains exhumed by police in Wales are to be tested to establish if they are those of an Irish woman who has been missing for 23 years.

Relatives of Pauline Finlay (49), who disappeared in Co Wexford in March 1994, were told that her remains may have been buried in a grave at Valley in Anglesey.

The unidentified remains were washed up on October 31st, 1994 at Cable Bay near Holyhead. The woman was believed to have drowned.

North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones last week said that his predecessor and police at the time had failed to identify the female remains and they were buried. The cause of death was not established.

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A cold-case review of human remains found during the past 50 years has been carried out by North Wales Police following developments in DNA technology.

Detective Constable Don Kenyon of North Wales Police said criminality was not suspected in any of the cases and the focus of the operation “is simply to identify, reunite and allow the dignity of a funeral service for family and friends to pay their respects.”

Police escorted a hearse to Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor where the remains will be examined later this week.

“The exhumation was preceded by a brief but moving graveside blessing from local priest Fr Frank Murray,” DC Kenyon said. “The exhumation was conducted with dignity and respect by all involved. I have spoken to Pauline’s family who are pleased that this aspect of returning her to them is now over.”