Teenager arrested in connection with murder

A FOURTH teenager interviewed in connection with the murder of a man in Limerick on Monday morning was arrested yesterday and is being held at Roxboro Road Garda Station.

He and three other teenage boys are the main suspects in the investigation.

As the hunt for Patrick Coleman’s killers continued yesterday, it emerged he was badly cut in the throat by a jagged object.

Two boys aged 15 and a third aged 16 went voluntarily to Roxboro Road Garda station with their parents on Monday afternoon.

The three are the primary focus of the investigation.

Supt Frank O’Brien said the investigation had made good progress. He said: “A lot of work has been done and the investigation has moved forward.”

All three were allowed home after being interviewed.

The youths are from the Ballinacurra Weston area of the city and at least one has been in trouble previously and had been put into the Garda juvenile liaison programme.

Mr Coleman, aged 33, bled to death after he was assaulted while on his way home to Carew Park, Southill, at about 1am on Monday.

He was taking a shortcut along a link road near Childers Road when he was set upon by a number of individuals.

Although badly injured, he managed to struggle to his house.

A passer-by who came across a trail of blood leading to the victim’s home alerted gardaí. They had to force an entry as the door was locked and found Mr Coleman dead in a pool of blood.

Gardaí believe Mr Coleman bolted the door fearing his attackers would follow him into the house.

Gardaí are awaiting a full post-mortem report from state pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy, but it is understood initial findings indicate Mr Coleman had bled to death from a wound to his neck.

The dead man, who was a native of Co Kildare, lived in Limerick for more than a year and worked with a local company.

Locals said he was a quietly spoken man and highly thought of by his work colleagues.

Gardaí were yesterday carrying out door-to-door inquiries and also looking for the article used in the attack.

It is understood they know what kind of weapon was used and have been concentrating their searches in open areas in the Southill and Ballinacurra Weston areas.