Police probe human remains find

Police in the west of Ireland were today continuing their investigations following the discovery of human remains unearthed in the garden of a house.

A human skull was discovered during construction work at the garden of the unoccupied house in Upper Salthill, Co Galway.

Police were called and later discovered a human torso wrapped in a sleeping bag at Claregalway, seven miles away, where debris from the work was being dumped.

Detectives were unable to say whether the body had any injuries, or what sex the person was.

But it is understood that the sleeping bag was tied with a piece of nylon and appeared to have been buried in a 2ft-deep grave.

It is thought the remains had been there for at least two years.

The house had been empty for several years but police believe it was used for drinking parties in the past.

A police spokesman said the two sites had been sealed off awaiting the arrival of the state pathologist and forensics officers.

He said: ‘‘The skull was found in the garden. Gardai then examined debris which had been removed from this site. Obviously there was some construction going on and they found human remains in the debris.’’

He added that although detectives were trying to establish the circumstances of the death and burial, they could not immediately presume foul play.