Donegal cattle dealer 'was not murdered'

A post mortem on the exhumed body of a Donegal man has shown that he died because of a hit-and-run and was not murdered, as gardai initially believed.

Richie Barron, a cattle dealer from Raphoe, died five years ago but the gardai allegedly failed to properly investigate his death.

Mr Barron’s body was exhumed in July to determine the exact cause of death. Gardai in Donegal have refused to comment on today’s autopsy results.

Mr Barron’s death sparked an investigation into garda corruption in Donegal when it emerged that several members of a local family were interviewed in connection with his "murder".

The McBrearty family, the victims of alleged widespread garda harassment, were suspected of involvement in the murder because of an alleged dispute they had with Mr Barron.

The subsequent corruption investigation has reportedly uncovered serious abuses of power by gardai in the Donegal division.

Some of them allegedly planted weapons and explosives and subsequently "found" them in an attempt to gain promotion in the force.