Canal body missing father-of-two

Gareth O'Connor went missing in May 2003

The body of a man found in a car in Newry Canal was that of missing man Gareth O'Connor, police have said.

His car was pulled out of the canal on Saturday, but DNA tests were needed to identify the body.

The 24-year-old father-of-two from Armagh had been missing since May 2003. Detectives believe Mr O'Connor was killed by the IRA. The IRA denied this.

A police spokesman said detectives were continuing to actively investigate the circumstances of his disappearance.

Mr O'Connnor was reported missing after he failed to report to Dundalk police station in the Irish Republic as part of his bail conditions on a charge of belonging to an illegal paramilitary group.

He had been charged with membership of the dissident republican Real IRA.

He was last spotted on closed-circuit television pictures driving through the County Armagh village of Newtownhamilton.

The blue Volkswagen Golf was discovered close to Victoria Lock near Newry after a two-day operation involving members of the PSNI's underwater search unit.