A male of 26 years has been apprehended by Ireland’s Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation in connection with the grim murder of Mary Ward, a 22-year-old woman from Belfast. The man’s detainment happened in Dublin on Wednesday afternoon under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, with his current location being at a Garda station in Dublin.
Ms Ward’s lifeless body was tragically found in her Melrose Street residency in Belfast by officials from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on Tuesday the 1st October. A murder probe was initiated the preceding evening by PSNI officers following Mary Ward’s report of a violent crime committed against her, as confirmed by the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland.
The An Garda Síochána have also initiated a parallel murder probe in line with the directives in the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act 1976, and are working together with the PSNI as the inquiry unfolds.
Ms Ward was last noted to be alive on Wednesday, 25th of September, with reported sightings of her sighted in Dungannon, Belfast’s Central Bus Station and Melrose Street.
The PSNI’s Assistant Chief Constable of the Crime Department, Davy Beck, extended his profound sympathies towards Mary Ward’s friends and family, empathising with their unbearable painful loss. Mr Beck commended the work of specially-trained Family Liaison Officers who continue to offer much-needed support during this challenging period.
The Assistant Chief Constable expressed his disgust at the increasing occurrence of female deaths, attributing Mary’s death as the fourth female murder victim over a span of just six weeks in Northern Ireland. He highlighted the shock addition of these needless deaths, stating, “This is absolutely unforgivable, and it’s happening far too often that women are falling abuse victims of men.”
“He concluded, “Regrettably, we lost a young chap named Kyle McDermott over the weekend. Although a man has been accused of manslaughter and has been presented to court today, it’s crucial to highlight that such violent acts are intolerable in our society.
“We, as a police service, have recently amended our plan of action to combat Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG). We have accepted the fresh national framework to align our approach to this violence with that of terrorism and severe, organised crime. In response to the escalating levels of violence and loss in Northern Ireland, we have no other option.
“We are utterly committed to a tireless pursuit of the culprits and can’t allow another woman to become a victim of male-inflicted violence.”