Man arrested over Kilkenny murder

A man in his 40s is being questioned by detectives investigating the murder of a man whose body was found in a house earlier this month.

The man was arrested at about 11am this morning as part of the investigation into the death of 42-year-old Anthony Barrett, who is understood to have been strangled in a house in Kilkenny city on March 7th.

Mr Barrett had been on a lengthy drinking session with another man throughout the day of his death, and the previous night, before the two returned to the other man’s house on Fatima Place in Kilkenny. The other man contacted the emergency services at about 6.30pm that evening and ambulance personnel found the body of Mr Barrett when they arrived at the house. Attempts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardaí have not released the results of a post-mortem examination carried out by assistant state pathologist Dr Khalid Jabber on Mr Barrett’s body but it is understood he was strangled.

Initial reports suggested the death may have been the result of a fall but gardaí are now satisfied there was foul play involved.

The man arrested this morning is being held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at Thomastown Garda station.

A single man, Mr Barrett was originally from Castlecomer in Co Kilkenny but had been living recently in rented accommodation on Parliament Street in the city.