A TORSO believed to belong to missing convicted rapist James Nolan has been found by An Garda Síochána during an investigation in Dublin.
The grim discovery occurred at approximately 1pm yesterday afternoon, April 10, in Tolka Valley Park in Finglas.
Gardaí had been searching an area of 200m in a remote part of the park using specialist cadaver dogs from Britain in connection with the disappearance and suspicious death of missing convicted rapist James Nolan.
Nolan, 46, was jailed for 14 years in 1986 following his conviction of rape and false imprisonment.
The torso is believed to belong to convicted rapist James Nolan. (Picture: TV3 News)The last reported sighting was in 2010, a year before a severed arm believed to belong to Nolan washed up on Dollymount Strand in Dublin in 2011.
Speaking to the media earlier today in Tolka Park, Superintendent William Carolan said: "At approximately 1pm yesterday in the course of excavating a particular area, we located a torso, mainly intact, buried approximately one foot below surface.
Garda Superintendent William Carolan and Detective Sergeant Desmond McTiernan speaking to the media at the scene. (Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie)"The dig was stopped immediately and we requested the services of the state pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy."
Gardaí said the torso has been taken to a mortuary in Dublin where a post-mortem will be performed later today to confirm its identity.
However, Supt Carolan said gardaí opened the investigation into Tolka Park as a result of information they had received in relation to the disappearance of James Nolan and finding the torso gave the information "credence."
"We had updated information and you will appreciate because it is a live investigation, we are not going into the sources of that information.
"But clearly we were satisfied that there was enough credence to put substantial resources into the operation.
"And that information has now been verified by the finding of this torso."
Supt Carolan also said the family of James Nolan had been informed of the update to the search operation, and a family liaison officer is in contact with them.
The scene remains sealed off and the search is ongoing.
