Rapist’s arm ‘was cut off after death’

The state pathologist has confirmed that the severed arm of a convicted rapist washed up on Dollymount Strand was cut from the body following death.

At the opening of the inquest into the death of James Nolan, aged 46, from Fairlawn Road, Finglas, Dublin, the Dublin coroner told the family Professor Marie Cassidy has established that the arm was severed following death.

The arm was found at the north Dublin beach on Feb 8, 2011.

Detective Inspector Paul Scott told the court the identity of the limb’s owner was confirmed after gardaí issued samples through Interpol and the London Metropolitan Police found a DNA profile that matched the tissue.

The arm belonged to Nolan, who had convictions for rape and burglary and who had been missing since his release from prison the previous November.

Det Insp Scott said gardaí have established Nolan’s movements prior to his disappearance up to a “certain point”, and that is now the subject of investigation.

The rest of Nolan’s body has yet to be found and, as a result, the Dublin coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, had to write to the Minister for Justice seeking a direction to open the inquest.

He told the family that in her post-mortem report, Prof Cassidy has been unable to establish a cause of death. However, she is satisfied the dismemberment of the arm was carried out after death,.

He told the family he had no further information and was awaiting developments.

The inquest was adjourned for further mention on June 5 next year.

Nolan is believed to have been tortured and killed before his body was dumped in the Irish Sea.

Results of tests on DNA samples taken from the limb conducted by Interpol officers based in the French city of Lyon matched previous samples taken from Nolan.

The 46-year-old had not been reported missing and his relatives had not seen him in recent months.

Nolan’s arm had been cut off at both the shoulder and wrist in what gardaí believe was an attempt to prevent its owner’s identity being traced. Efforts had also been made to remove a tattoo on the limb.

Nolan, originally from Finglas, was jailed for 14 years in 1986 for his role in a gang rape of a woman in Ashtown, Dublin, two years earlier, when he was 20. He was also convicted of falsely imprisoning his victim’s boyfriend.

Nolan absconded to Britain after the crime. However, he was arrested after he returned home to visit his mother for Christmas.