Gardaí searching for a man missing from Portlaoise since last April found human remains during a search this afternoon.
Tommy Thompson (59), originally from Yorkshire, moved to Ireland to work in the construction industry and was employed as a plasterer in Portlaoise before his disappearance. He was last seen on April 21st.
A Garda spokesman said a body was found during the search of an area in Dysart, Portlaoise this afternoon. "A search of the area commenced early this morning as part of the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Tommy Thompson on the 20th April, 2007, from Borris Road, Portlaoise," the spokesman said.
The body remains at the scene and has not yet been formally identified. The Forensic and technical examinations are being carried out by a Garda Crime Scene Investigation Team and the office of the State Pathologist has been informed of the find.
Garda spokesman Superintendent Kevin O'Donohoe said tonight: "We have decided that the body will remain where it is tonight, that's prudent crime scene management.
"We will remove it tomorrow in daylight and it will be taken to the city morgue in Dublin where a post-mortem examination will be undertaken."
Earlier Superintendent Philip Lyons, who is leading this investigation, renewed an appeal for information about Mr Thompson's disappearance. Detectives are also looking for Mr Thompson's blue Renault van, registration number 06-LS-2453.
In December, gardaí "stood down" searches for Mr Thompson. Gardaí, using sniffer dogs from the Garda dog unit searched a six-acres area of land between Portlaoise and Stradbally but found nothing.
Mr Thompson had last been in touch with his wife and other family members in Yorkshire by phone on April 21st, but they heard nothing from him since then. Family members contacted gardaí.
Neighbours on Borris Road in Portlaoise had not seen Mr Thompson in some time.
It is understood gardaí established that Mr Thompson had fallen out with a number of people he was in contact with.
The homes of two men who knew Mr Thompson well were searched before Christmas. The two men were arrested and charged with stealing items from Borris Road, where Mr Thompson had lived.
