Man arrested in probe into Quinn death

Gardaí investigating the murder of Paul Quinn in Co Monaghan six years ago yesterday arrested a man as part of their probe into his death.

The male, in his early 20s, was arrested in Dromad in Co Louth but is understood to be residing north of the border.

He was arrested yesterday morning and was last night being detained at Carrickmacross Garda Station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

It is understood gardaí believe he may have links to the men suspected of carrying out the prolonged beating on Mr Quinn on Oct 20, 2007. It is also understood gardaí suspect the man may have been withholding information.

Quinn, a 21-year-old from Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, was lured across the border and to a cattle shed near Castleblayney on the pretext of preparing the premises for cattle when he was viciously assaulted by a number of men who beat him with iron bars over a sustained period of time.

One theory was that the beating was designed to intimidate Mr Quinn but not to kill him. However, gardaí were alerted and he was rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, where he died.

A number of people have since been arrested on both sides of the border by gardaí and the PSNI as part of investigations into his death. Nobody has been charged.

His family claimed after of his killing he had been involved in altercations with individual members of the Provisional IRA not long before he was attacked.

The Justice for Paul group also held a number of public meetings to garner support for their campaign.

Sinn Féin denied any republican involvement in Paul Quinn’s death.