Gardaí dig Kerry site for man feared murdered 25 years ago

Gardaí have begun excavating a site in south Kerry for a missing English man feared abducted and murdered 25 years ago after receiving information from a new witness that he noticed what appeared like a grave in the area.

The excavation for the remains of father-of-four Charles Brooke Pickard (then 43) at a site at Derrennageeha, near the remote Ballaghisheen Pass, 24km northeast of Waterville, began yesterday morning, and will continue for at least a week.

The Irish Times has learned that the excavation follows the receipt of information from a man living in the area in response to an appeal on Crimeline in June for any information about the disappearance of Mr Pickard, who lived in Castlecove on the Ring of Kerry.

Freshly dug ground

It is understood that the man had spotted some freshly dug ground at Deerennageeha shortly after Mr Pickard disappeared 25 years ago, but only realised its possible significance following the Crimeline appeal, and he contacted gardaí to inform them of what he saw.

The site of the dig is approximately 1km from where Mr Pickard’s navy Ford Transit van was found burnt out three weeks after his disappearance.

It is some 20 km from Waterville on a remote road that runs through the mountains before emerging at Glencar and Beaufort near Killarney.

Yesterday Supt Flor Murphy of Killarney Garda station, who is leading the investigation, said the finding of Mr Pickard’s remains would be a significant development in the investigation into what gardaí believe was a planned operation by a number of men in April 1991.

Mr Pickard's family, including his wife Penny and son Crohan who made an emotional appeal during the Crimeline programme for information, are being kept informed, and gardaí and the family were hopeful his remains will be found, said Supt Murphy.

He said this was a “renewed investigation” as a result of information, and gardaí had identified an area of approximately 40sq m “that had to be searched”.

He adding that the search involved up to 20 gardaí, Army personnel, heavy plant equipment and metal detectors.

“There are people out there with information, and I am asking them to come forward.

Loyalties

“In 25 years loyalties changed, friendships changed and circumstances change,” said Supt Murphy, adding that the family were “very much appreciative of our efforts and they are hopeful”.

Mr Pickard, known as Brooke, had moved from Leeds in the UK to an isolated farm in Castlecove with his wife Penny in 1983 to give their children a better life.

The couple had four children aged 15, 11, seven and five at the time of his disappearance on the morning of April 26th, 1991.

Mr Pickard was due to meet a neighbour to go cutting turf. However, gardaí believe he was duped into stopping to pick up a man who claimed his car had run out of petrol.

Mr Pickard drove the man to a local garage to get petrol before bringing him to White Strand to his car.

Mr Pickard was seen driving his van with a man in the passenger’s seat by a girl out riding her horse, and gardaí were also able to establish that he was abducted and bundled into his van by a group of five masked and armed men.

A total of 12 people were arrested in various locations in Kerry, Cork and Waterford as detectives began investigating Mr Pickard’s possible links with figures from the criminal underworld.

No convictions

Although he had no convictions for drugs offences, gardaí believe that Mr Pickard may have fallen foul of a major drug dealer and that the dealer hired a gang which included members of the INLA to kidnap and kill Mr Pickard over a drugs debt.

Gardaí had received reports at the time of an orange Toyota Corolla that was seen in the Castlecove area in the days before Mr Pickard’s disappearance, and they were later able to trace the car to a number of INLA figures in the Carlow and Kilkenny areas.

Despite an extensive investigation, no one was ever charged. However, the case was recently among those which were examined by members of a Garda Cold Case Review team, which in turn led to the Crimeline appeal earlier this year.

Mr Pickard's son, Crohan, who later lost his sister Lisa in a car crash in 1994, told Crimeline: "I believe if someone does not come forward and tell us where Dad's body can be found we will never know what happened.

“We will never have closure, or ever be able to fully accept he is dead.”