Coroner makes fresh appeal in attempt to identify man

THE DUBLIN county coroner has issued a new appeal asking anyone with information which might lead to the identification of a …

THE DUBLIN county coroner has issued a new appeal asking anyone with information which might lead to the identification of a human skull – picked up in nets by a fishing trawler off Lambay Island, Co Dublin, almost five years ago – to come forward.

So far, however, the identity of the man, a white male aged between 25 and 45, remains a mystery, despite the circulation of the images through Interpol.

The soft tissue and muscle reconstruction of the man’s head was carried out by an expert in the field, Dr Caroline Wilkinson of the University of Dundee, Scotland.

Other experts who assisted in the investigation include Canada-based Dr David Sweetman of the University of Vancouver, who extracted a DNA profile from the teeth of the skull; Cork-based forensic dentist Dr Paul Keogh; State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy and forensic anthropologist Lauren Buckley from the State Pathologist’s Office.

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The skull was recovered at sea by the skipper of a fishing vessel on the morning of February 6th, 2006, and specially reconstructed images were first circulated two years later.

Dublin County Coroner’s Court heard yesterday that there have been no new developments in the case and nobody has come forward with any information.

Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty appealed again for anyone with information to come forward to gardaí.

It is estimated that the skull was in the water for up to two years. Anyone with information should contact Balbriggan Garda station on 01-8412202.