Body may be that of missing man

GARDAÍ suspect the remains of a body found dumped in a rural lane in north Dublin are that of missing man Peter Gunn.

The 29-year-old dad-of-two disappeared in the early hours of January 4 after a night out with friends.

Gardaí are investigating Mr Gunn’s background in an attempt to glean any clues as to what happened to him.

Gardaí notified the family of Mr Gunn on Thursday night that they had found a body on Dunsoghly Lane near Dublin Airport earlier that night.

It is understood the body was found in a ditch off the country lane in the St Margaret’s area, near the N2 road to Ashbourne.

The watery location where the body was found is thought to have significantly added to the decomposition of the body, which is said to be advanced.

Mr Gunn had a distinctive tattoo on his back, but it is not known if any tattoos were found on the body because of the level of decomposition.

A postmortem examination was under way yesterday. It is understood dental records were checked as part of the efforts to identify the remains.

Mr Gunn was reported missing by his family after he failed to contact any of them. He has two children, Gerard, six, and Adam, three.

He was last seen in the Summerhill area of the north inner city after a night out in a nearby pub with friends.

His mother Geraldine, went on RTÉ radio on Thursday asking for assistance in locating her son.

She told the Joe Duffy Show he had been out with friends in the Sportsman pub on Parnell Street on Saturday, January 3.

She said he and his friends walked a couple of girls back to their homes on Summerhill sometime between 3.30am-4.30am on Sunday.

She said the girl he walked back said goodnight to him and told him his friends were waiting for him in a car.

“I spoke to all these people and they said Peter did not join them in the taxi,” said Geraldine.

Originally from Whitehall in north Dublin, Mr Gunn lived with his mother in Bray, before moving into a flat off Collins Avenue, near Whitehall.

One Garda source said they would be “digging into his background” in an attempt to glean any clues as to what happened to him.

Gardaí said that while Mr Gunn had been arrested in the past in relation to a few public order incidents, he was not a criminal.

Sources said some of the people he knew may been involved in theft, but nothing serious.

Officers said the woman he walked home was not under investigation in any way.

Sources said it was likely the body was brought to Dunsoghly Lane and dumped.

The area, known as St Margarets, is close to the airport and is quite remote.

Neighbours said that there were only three houses in the laneway where the body was found as well as a half-finished house, built by drug dealer Paddy Hart who was shot dead in Edenmore, north Dublin, in 2006.

Gardaí do not suspect any link with this and believe the location was chosen because is was isolated.