The Government has promoted one of the most senior gardaí in the Dublin region to the rank of assistant commissioner. Liam Reid reports.
Assistant Commissioner Al McHugh has served three years as chief superintendent in Store Street Garda station, where he headed up successful investigations into a number of high profile killings of non nationals.
These included the notorious "body in the suitcase" murder, in which an unidentified body was found dumped in a suitcase in the Royal Canal.
A painstaking investigation subsequently established the identity of the body as that of Romanian, Mr Adrian Bestea. A number of people were convicted in relation to the death.
Mr McHugh also led the investigation into the murders of Chinese students, Mr Yue Feng and Ms Liu Qing, in an apartment at Blackhall Square, North King Street, in March 2001. The couple were strangled and their bodies set alight by Yu Jie (25), who was convicted of the murders and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mr McHugh (54), originally from Co Mayo, has served most of his career in the Dublin area.
He began his career with the Garda Síochána in Dublin, serving in Blanchardstown and Pearse Street Garda station in the early 1970s.
He was promoted to sergeant on June 4th, 1977, and served mainly in the Dublin area.
He became an inspector in 1989 and was promoted to the rank of superintendent two years later, serving in Cork and at the Central Detective Unit in Dublin.
He was promoted to chief superintendent on 12th January, 1995, and served at Garda headquarters where he was involved in road safety and Garda traffic programmes. He also served in the Louth Meath division, before moving to Store Street in 2001.