PM points to head injury in fish shop body case

A man found dead in the freezer of a Galway fish shop was beaten and died of a head injury, post mortem results have confirmed.

Patrick McCormack, discovered dead in a Galway fish shop, was last seen alive five years ago in Dublin. While suspected of drug dealing, he had never been charged with that offence.

Patrick McCormack (52) had been missing for five years and was last seen alive in Dublin in June 2002. His body was found by the Iranian-born owner of the Mermaid Fish Shop on Henry Street at the rear of a cold storage facilty last Wednesday.

Gardai said today that the port mortem, carried out this morning by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, established that "death was due to head injury as a result of an assault."

He had been badly beaten up and his hands were tied behind his back.

The postmortem was delayed because of the frozen state of his body, which had been in a deep freeze for a considerable period of time.

Initially, Mr McCormack's brother reported that he had been missing since October 3rd, 2003, but he was uncertain of the date.

An investigation of Garda files reported that Mr McCormack, of Upper Artane Cottages, Malahide Road, Dublin, was still alive in June 2002. Two specific dates at the start and end of June 2002 are being considered as the last reported sighting.

His Opel Vectra car, registration number 97 D 9981, was later found abandoned in Shannon, Co Clare.

Speaking on RTÉ's Crimecall programme, Supt Tom Hurley from Mill Street Garda station said the owner of the fish shop found the body in a plastic container which was covered.

Mr McCormack was known to gardaí and was suspected of being involved in drug dealing in the west of Ireland. He had previous convictions for robbery, though none for drug dealing.