Victim’s body still being held until family contacted

IT could be several days before the body of the second man murdered in Bandon last week is released to his family for burial.

Detectives say they are still investigating the murder of 42-year-old father-of-four John Forrester, whose body was recovered from the river Bandon last Tuesday morning. He had been beaten and stabbed. The body was found wrapped in a rug, with its hands and feet bound.

By last weekend, gardaí had, with the help of diplomats in the British embassy in Dublin, and Interpol, traced Mr Forrester’s relatives in Britain.

But they confirmed last night that they have traced closer family relatives, including a sister. However, efforts are still under way to trace all four of his children, who may not yet know their father is dead.

Mr Forrester’s sister, Sharon, who lives in Lincoln, England, described her brother, who was known in Bandon as “Johnny English”, as an “open, kind and fun-loving man”.

She said his devastated family are still trying to contact his four children in Coventry to tell them of his brutal death.

“We haven’t been able to tell them yet,” she said.

* Anyone with information in relation to Mr Forrester’s death can contact Bandon Garda Station on 023 8852200, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.