A bench warrant was issued yesterday morning when a man due to go on trial for the murder of a Dublin drug dealer failed to turn up in court. It was later learned he had earlier been found dead in a skip in the city.
Mr Martin Comerford (36), Tom Kelly House, Charlemont Street, Dublin, was due to go on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin charged with the murder of Mr Anthony Beatty (39), of Rialto Court, Dublin, at a public house then known as the Wild Heather, in Mary Street, Dublin, on November 30th, 1997.
Mr Beatty was shot three times in the chest as he sat drinking in the upstairs lounge of the pub at 8.40 p.m. The gunman who killed him wore a balaclava and used a .22 pistol.
Mr Comerford's body was found by a member of the public at 8.20 a.m. yesterday morning at Ontario Terrace, off Mountpleasant Avenue, in Ranelagh, close to his home.
There were gunshot wounds to his chest.
A Garda spokesman said the dead man was unofficially identified as Mr Martin Comerford shortly before 2.30 p.m. yesterday.
Earlier, when the case was called before Mr Justice Carney, counsel for Mr Comerford, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, asked for his client to be called into court for arraignment.
Mr Comerford made no appearance, and his solicitor, Mr Michael Hanahoe, informed the judge he had not seen him.
Later, after members of the jury panel were sworn in to try another case, the murder case was again called, but there was still no appearance by the accused.
Det Sgt Eunan Dolan, of Store Street Garda station, told junior counsel for the prosecution, Mr Tom O'Connell, there was no sign of Mr Comerford in court or in the precincts of the building.
Det Sgt Dolan said the accused man had signed on at Harcourt Street Garda station on Sunday afternoon at 1.20 p.m.
Mr Justice Carney issued a warrant for his arrest, directing that when found Mr Comerford be brought before him "and no other judge".