Breakthrough in Sandra Collins disappearance

GARDAÍ BELIEVE they have made a significant breakthrough in their investigation into the disappearance and presumed murder of Sandra Collins 10 years ago.

Ms Collins (28) from Co Mayo was last seen on the night of Monday, December 4th, 2000, in the seaside village of Killala where she lived. She failed to return home from a trip to the shops. Her fleece jacket was later found on the pier in Killala.

On the 10th anniversary of her disappearance, a fresh appeal to the public was made for any information. A reconstruction of Ms Collins’s last movements was also broadcast.

Since then gardaí have been contacted with information, some of it concerning a white van that was seen in Killala on the night Ms Collins disappeared. In recent weeks gardaí have issued a local appeal in their efforts to identify the van.

The latest plea has attracted further information from the public and gardaí now believe they have identified the van, helping them narrow their list of people of interest in the case.

Gardaí in Ballina, headed by Garda Supt Peter O’Boyle, arrested a 21-year-old woman at a house in the area at 10am on Wednesday. She would have been aged 11 at the time Ms Collins disappeared and is not suspected of any involvement.

However, she was arrested on suspicion of withholding information on the basis of her friendship with a man in his 40s, who is a suspect.

The woman was questioned at Ballina Garda station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and was released without charge on Thursday.

At the same time, gardaí arrested a 47-year-old man at a house near Killala. He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act for questioning directly in relation to Ms Collins’s disappearance and presumed murder.

He was released without charge yesterday evening and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A second man, aged 58, was arrested in connection with the case yesterday. He is being held at Ballina Garda station on suspicion of withholding information.

The inquiry is being aided by the Garda’s cold case squad, or serious crime review team.

The Dublin-based unit has become involved since local gardaí made what they believe is a breakthrough recently.

On the day she was last seen alive, Ms Collins left her aunt’s house in Killala to go to the shops. About three hours later, at 11pm, she was served in a local fast food outlet where she bought two bags of chips. She was never seen again.

When her jacket was discovered on the pier four days later, some of the items she had bought in the shops were in the pockets.

Gardaí and the missing woman’s family believe she was in no way suicidal. An extensive search of the sea around Killala took place and it came to nothing.

Gardaí now believe Ms Collins met someone after going shopping and was still with that person when she went to buy the two portions of chips.

They believe she was killed that night, most likely by the unidentified person she met, and her body was disposed of.