Gardaí may investigate Michaela murder

The Government has left open the possibility of sending a Garda team to Mauritius to investigate the unsolved murder of Michaela McAreavey.

Eamon Gilmore, the Tánaiste and foreign affairs minister, said such a move could be considered “down the line” if further investigations into the death of the 27-year-old were not conclusive.

This would be similar to the approach taken by French authorities who sent police to West Cork to investigate the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier after gardaí were unsuccessful in finding her killer.

Last week, a jury in Mauritius found two hotel workers not guilty of killing Mrs McAreavey, who was found dead during her honeymoon on the island 18 months ago.

Mr Gilmore said while he “fully respects the court process”, he was “very concerned that an urgent examination of the case be taken to make sure that justice will be seen to be done”.

He hit out at the “disgraceful” publication in a Mauritian newspaper, the Sunday Times, of graphic images of the scene of the crime.

Mr Gilmore said he was sending a “strongly driven message” to his counterpart in Mauritius about the “upset” caused by the photographs, which show a full-length image of Mrs McAreavey’s body and close-up images of injuries on her neck.

Mr Gilmore did not see the pictures because he said to do so would be “an invasion of Michaela’s privacy and the privacy of her family”.

He has asked Brendan McMahon, the Irish ambassador to South Africa but who also has responsibility for Mauritius, to “convey a strong protest to the authorities at what appears to be the leaking of evidential material to the local media there”.

Mr Gilmore, who has discussed the issue with Mrs McAreavey’s husband John, asked Mr McMahon to inquire about “what further actions will be undertaken by the authorities there to investigate the murder”.”

Mr Gilmore said he was “shocked” at the publication of the images, which he said showed “a total lack of respect” to the memory of the deceased and “the feelings of her family who have already suffered so much”.

He said Mauritian authorities had a responsibility to ensure the photographs did not get to the media.

Mr Gilmore said his department was not issuing any advice about travel to the Indian Ocean paradise island. However, he said it was “a matter for individual travel agents” what advice they give to customers.

“I don’t think there is any doubt but that what has happened to Michaela McAreavey will have considerable consequences for Mauritius and the tourist industry in Mauritius. I don’t think anyone would expect it to be otherwise.”