Frozen man missing for five years

Patrick McCormack's body was found in a fish shop freezer

The man whose body was found in a freezer in a cold store room in Galway city had been missing for five years, Irish police have established.

Patrick McCormack, 52, was last seen alive in Dublin in June 2002.

Initially, his brother reported that he had been missing since 3 October 2003, but he was uncertain of the date.

An investigation of Garda files reported that Mr McCormack, of Upper Artane Cottages, Malahide Road, Dublin, was still alive in June 2002.

Two specific dates at the start and end of June 2002 are being considered as the last reported sighting.

His Opel Vectra car, registration number 97 D 9981, was later found abandoned in Shannon, County Clare.

A photograph of Mr McCormack was released by police on Tuesday night, a week after his body was found by the Iranian-born owner of the Mermaid Fish Shop on St John's Avenue.

It is not known when the picture was taken.

A post mortem examination on Mr McCormack's body carried out on Wednesday established that he died from severe head injuries.

It had been delayed because of the frozen state of his body, which had been in a deep freeze for a considerable period of time.

He had been badly beaten up and his hands were tied behind his back.