Pickard seach ends but investigation ongoing

GARDAÍ have ended their search for the remains of missing man Charles Brooke Pickard without success.

Mr Pickard – a 42-year-old father of four – has been missing from his home in the Castlecove area since April 1991 when is it suspected he was abducted and killed by a mainly northern Irish gang led by a former INLA terrorist.

It is believed the gang thought – incorrectly – that Mr Pickard had come into a large sum of money linked to a major drug smuggling operation known to have taken place in the Caherdaniel area a few weeks before the kidnap.

However, it is generally accepted – by gardaí and locally – that Mr Pickard had no involvement in the drug smuggling operation and that his abduction, and probable murder, were the result of an unfounded rumour.

Mr Pickard – who had a two year suspended sentence for a firearm offence – may once have had a limited involvement in minor criminality but he was never a major player in the drug trade as some commentators have suggested after his disappearance.

Having received new information on foot of a public appeal, gardaí and a specialist army team began searching for his remains at a small section of Coilte forest land in Ballaghisheen on September 14.

The 16 day search of the site – close to where Mr Pickard’s van was found burned out in May 1991 – was called off on Friday without result.

Superintendent Flor Murphy who is leading the enquiry said the inquiry continues and gardaí are liaising with police in the UK and Europe to advance a number of new leads.

The Pickard family – who say they are still hopeful of finding peace and answers about what happened to their father and husband – praised the gardaí whom they said had gone to ‘amazing’ lengths to ensure they were kept aware of all developments in the search.

Charles Brooke Pickard