Appeal for missing prison officer to contact home

GARDAÍ have appealed for a missing prison officer to contact his family and let them know he is safe and well.

Prison officer John Gilmore went missing from his home in Cobh, Co Cork, last Monday and members of his family and a number of locals joined in searches for him around the town.

However, the search has switched from the locality since gardaí received information that the 51-year-old was seen at Kent Station at about 7.30pm that day and may have boarded a train to Dublin.

Mr Gilmore, who is married to Serena and has two teenage children, worked in Cork Prison for a number of years.

He also runs a pub at Midleton St, Cobh, which he purchased nearly eight years ago from the former national president of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, John Mansworth.

A senior Garda spokesman said that, on the presumption that Mr Gilmore had taken the train, they were consulting with gardaí at stations along the line to Dublin to ascertain where he may have got off.

“We are starting with Dublin and working our way back and looking at CCTV footage taken in those stations,” said the spokesman.

When last seen Mr Gilmore, who lives at West Beach, Cobh, was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and carrying a black holdall bag.

He is described as 6ft 2in in height, with greyish-brown coloured hair and moustache.

“We are appealing to Mr Gilmore to contact his family and let them know he is okay. They are concerned for his welfare,” said the Garda spokesman.

Gardaí are also anxious to hear from anybody who may have seen Mr Gilmore in the last 48 hours, or anybody who may know where he is currently staying.

People with information are asked to contact Cobh Garda Station at 021 4908530, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111.