Need for more gardai in red light area cited

Gardaí investigating the death of Ms Lynette McKeown (19), from Tallaght, Dublin, meet at Naas Garda Station this afternoon to discuss progress in the case.

Meanwhile, public representatives have called for increased Garda resources to curb the burgeoning prostitution problem in the red light district of Dublin where she is thought to have been last seen.

Two undercover gardaí assigned in June to address the prostitution problem in Arbour Hill and Montpellier Hill in the city were reassigned to other duties in July.

Residents and public representatives say Ms McKeown's death "very tragically proves the truth of what we have been warning about for months now".

Gardaí in the Bridewell, which covers the red-light district, say she was known as an occasional prostitute there. Unconfirmed reports say she was last seen there on the night of August 13th.

Ms McKeown's body was discovered at a derelict house at Eadestown in Co Kildare last Sunday. Her body may have been dumped and, given the degree of decomposition around her face, she had been there for at least six days.

The last confirmed sighting of the mother of Kelly, aged two, is August 13th when she left her home at Birchwood Heights, Tallaght.

Her partner, Mr Michael Murphy (27), said yesterday she had been going into town to meet a friend and get a tarot card reading. He said he knew something was "very wrong" when she had not returned by the following morning.

"She never left Kelly for more than a few hours. They were always together."

Ms McKeown was a recovering drug user and was "very happy in the new house" said Mr Murphy. There is as yet no indication she had taken an overdose. Toxicology reports are expected to take another week and an initial post-mortem proved inconclusive.

Both Mr Murphy and Mrs Carol McKeown - her mother - say Ms McKeown had no involvement in prostitution. Responding to reports that she was last seen in Arbour Hill, Mr Murphy said they had lived for a time in a B&B in the area and she frequently went back to see friends.

But residents campaigning for a greater Garda presence to address the prostitution there say they recognised her face when they saw it in the media.

Chief Supt Seán Feely of Naas Garda Station, who is leading the inquiry, has renewed his appeal for a man who got in touch last week about the case, saying he believed he had "vital information".

Meanwhile, Labour Party spokesman for Justice, Mr Joe Costello, said he was "sick and tired of telling the Minister for Justice there was a serious problem with prostitution in the area". He had raised it several times in the Dáil.

Cllr Christy Burke (Sinn Féin) said Ms McKeown's death proved the necessity for increased Garda resources to address the issue, not only for the peace of local residents but for the safety of the women involved in the sex trade.

A Garda spokeswoman said the force did "not discuss operational matters".