The man arrested in connection with the disappearance of Irish woman Jill Meagher is set to be charged with both rape and murder. Cathal Power of The Daily Shift has more…
UPDATED 7.35pm: A 41-year old man has appeared in court in Melbourne this morning on suspicion of the rape and murder of Drogheda native Jill Meagher.
Adrian Ernest Bayley, who has a number of previous convictions, was refused bail at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
He is next expected to appear at a committal hearing on January 18 next.
Jill’s body was found in a shallow grave 50km from the Brunswick suburb where she disappeared following a night out with work colleagues.
Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring in from Jill’s family, friends and colleagues. The managing director of ABC, where Jill worked, said the 29-year-old had been “widely known, universally respected and much loved, with a great career ahead of her”.
Jill’s uncle Michael McKeon said the family would struggle to come to terms with their loss.
“We are devastated,” he said. “We are heartbroken. She was the first grandchild my mother had and her aunties, uncles and cousins are powerless to describe their loss.
“We had hope yesterday when there was no evidence of foul play but when the man was arrested we feared the worst.
“We thank the people around the world who have helped support us.”
Jill’s husband Tom echoed Victoria police calls for people to refrain from posting on the case on social media. He added he was “humbled” by the overwhelming response of the public to the case.
“Despite the fact that this is the worst thing that we will ever go through in our lives, I’ve been really humbled by the support of the Australian public, the tireless efforts of the police and all the friends and families who’ve put their lives on hold to help us out,” he said.
“While I really appreciate all the support, I would just like to mention that negative comments on social media may hurt legal proceedings, so please be mindful of that,” he said. “I would also like to say that if the press, if the media could respect the privacy of the Meaghers and the McKeons at this time, that would be brilliant. Thank you.”
A moment of silence for Jill Meagher was observed before the kick-off of tonight’s League of Ireland match between Drogheda United and St Patrick’s Athletic. A book of condolence has been opened in Drogheda and a candlelit vigil was held in Brunswick Baptist Church in her memory.
UPDATE: Reports are circulating that Jill Meagher’s body has been found off a dirt road in Gisborne South. More to follow…
A 41-year-old man has been arrested following the disappearance of Jill Meagher, and it is expected that he will now be charged with the rape and murder of the missing woman.
A 41-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Jill Meagher
Australian media outlets are saying that the man will be charged with the rape and murder of Jill Meagher by the investigating police. However, the Victorian Police have refused to comment on the speculation that the suspect will be charged.
The man is originally from Coburg, a suburb near Brunswick where Meagher was living with her husband. He cannot be named for legal reasons. It is believed that the man is helping Homicide Detectives in their efforts to find Meagher’s body.
Media outlet, The Age, say that the suspect was seen on CCTV footage of the missing Irish woman outside a bridal boutique.
The Drogheda native was last seen leaving Bar Ettiquette in the Brunswick area of Melbourne where she lived with her husband. She was last seen at 1.30am as she left work colleagues to walk home. Meagher was reported missing at around midday.
Victorian Police are continuing to ask anyone with information to come forward and contact them confidentially.
