Source: Irish Times
Contact: lettersed@irishtimes.ie

Victim's body hidden behind two bins
By Arthur Quinlan, in Limerick, and Colm Keena

The murder of a barman in Limerick city centre in the early
hours of yesterday morning may have been linked to his
opposition to drugdealers trying to use the pub where he
worked.

Mr Noel Pyper (48), who lived in Henry Street, is believed
to have died from head injuries after being attacked in
nearby Newenham Street. He was walking home from the
pub where he worked, Noel's Bar in Catherine Street, and
was just a short distance from his home when the fatal
attack occurred.

A person living in the area heard a commotion and at least
two men shouting at about 1.40 a.m. The witness told
gardai the sounds came from the top of the lane off
Newenham Street where Mr Pyper's body was found by a
delivery man at about 8.40 a.m. The body was hidden
behind two large wheeliebins.

Gardai say they have established no motive for the murder.
Some money believed to have belonged to the victim was
found at the scene.

One line of inquiry being pursued is that Mr Pyper's death
may have been linked to his opposition to drugpushers
trying to use the pub where he worked.

Chief Supt Michael Fitzgerald, who is conducting the
investigation, said the death could be linked to the drugs
issue, but added: "I will not go down that road just now, as
it would limit our scope of inquiries."

He said the dead man had extensive head injuries and a
severe loss of blood, and appeared to have been dragged
up the lane. There was, he said, every indication a struggle
had taken place and all the injuries were on the upper part
of the body. More than one attacker could have been
involved, the chief superintendent said.

Mr Pyper was separated from his wife, and the couple have
a son and a daughter. His family lives in England. Mr Pyper
was a native of Macroom, Co Cork, but had lived in
Limerick for most of his life, where he worked as a barman.

A postmortem was carried out by the Chief State
Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, at the Limerick Regional
Hospital yesterday evening. The results are not yet known
but Mr Pyper is believed to have died from extensive
injuries to the head. Det Insp John Kerin said gardai will
examine business security videos along the route at the time
of the attack on Mr Pyper "to see if he was being followed
and to see who else was in the area".

Mr Pyper was described as being a noticeably thin man. He
had short dark hair and was dressed in a beige, zipfront
jacket and a pair of grey trousers. He was of medium
height.

Local people said the street where Mr Pyper was attacked
is usually quiet at around 1.40 a.m., as most people from
the pubs have gone home and the night clubs would still be
open.

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