Gardaí appeal for information on 25th anniversary of Deirdre Jacob's disappearance
Bernadette and Michael Jacob, parents of Deirdre Jacob pictured this afternoon at a Garda public appeal for information in Newbridge on the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
"Michael and Bernadette deserve to know what happened to their daughter," Garda Superindent Burke said as gardaí appealed to the public for information on the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob.
Ms Jacob went missing from near her home in Roseberry, Newbridge on July 28, 1998, at around 3pm. She was 18 years old at the time.
She had just completed one year at St Mary's University, Twickenham, London, and had "enjoyed her life in London and was looking forward to returning to college that September," a garda spokesperson said.
There has been a 25-year investigation into Ms Jacob's disappearance during which gardaí say significant enquiries have been carried out to establish her whereabouts and to investigate the circumstances in which she disappeared.
Over the course of the investigation, the team has discovered and collated in excess of 5,000 documents and reports, taken in excess of 300 statements of evidence and retained a number of exhibits.
On the 20th anniversary of her disappearance, An Garda Siochána confirmed that the missing person investigation had been upgraded to a murder investigation. An investigation file on the murder of Ms Jacob was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions. No prosecution has been directed to date.
The investigation continues to be carried out by gardaí from the Kildare Garda District under a Senior Investigating Officer and with the available support of other resources from An Garda Síochána, including the Serious Crime Review Team, as required.
On July 28, 1998, Deirdre Jacob had walked into Newbridge town to get a bank draft to send to a college friend in London for their rent deposit. She was observed on CCTV walking on Main Street Newbridge at 2:14 pm.
At around 2:18 pm She was then observed in the AIB bank getting a £100 bank draft before leaving the bank a short time later. Ms Jacob is observed again on CCTV at 2:26 pm queuing in the Post Office in Newbridge.
At 2:32 pm Deirdre is observed on CCTV speaking with a friend outside the Post Office on Main Street, Newbridge. At 2:35 pm the last sighting of Deirdre, on CCTV, is recorded walking outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge.
Ms Jacob was last seen shortly after 3pm near her family home outside Newbridge. She was 5’3” in height, with a slim build, grey/green eyes and dark chin-length hair.
When she went missing on July 28, 1998, Ms Jacob was wearing a navy v-neck t-shirt with white trim on the collar and sleeves, navy or black straight jeans, and blue Nike runners. She was carrying a distinctive black satchel-type bag with long shoulder straps and the word CAT in large yellow capital letters on the side. The black satchel bag has never been found.
On Friday, Garda Superintendent Burke appealed to the public for any person with any information in relation to the murder of Deirdre Jacob to contact the Garda investigation team
"I want to speak to any person who met, spoke with or had any interaction with Deirdre Jacob on the 28th July 1998 or subsequently," he said.
"There are person or persons who have information on the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob and her murder on or about the 28 of July 1998 and who haven’t yet spoken to Gardaí or who may have already spoken to Gardaí but were not in a position to tell everything that they know at that time.
"Do you recognise yourself in the queue in the Post Office or do you recognise any of the persons in the queue? I want to speak to every person that was in that queue.
"I want to speak with any person who has any information on the black satchel-type bag with long shoulder straps and the word CAT in large yellow capital letters on the side which Deirdre was in possession of when she went missing.
"I am appealing to those persons, 25 years later, to please come forward and speak to the investigation team. The primary focus of this investigation is the victim, Deirdre Jacob and her family.
"Deirdre’s parents Michael and Bernadette deserve to know the truth, Michael and Bernadette deserve to know what happened to their daughter on or about the 28th July 1998.
"I, and the Investigation Team are determined to gather all available information to find those answers and bring this matter to a positive conclusion.”
Concluding, Superintendent Burke appealed: "I would urge any person or persons with information in relation to the Murder of Deirdre Jacob to please come forward to either the investigation team at Kildare Garda Station at 045 521222, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, Crimestoppers 1800 250 025 or any Garda Station.
"I appeal to any person who have information about Deirdre’s murder not to assume we know and/or that it has limited value. Let us make that decision.”
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