Issue Date: 27th July 2024
An Garda Síochána and the family of Deirdre Jacob area appealing to the public for their assistance on the 26th anniversary of her disappearance.
Deirdre Jacob was last seen on Tuesday, 28th July 1998 near her home in Roseberry, Newbridge, County Kildare at approximately 3pm.
Deirdre was 18-years-old in 1998. She was a young woman starting off her life, who had just completed one year at St Mary’s University in Twickenham, London. Deirdre would be 44-years-old this year.
Deirdre enjoyed her life in London and was looking forward to returning to college that September.
On the day she went missing, 28th July 1998, Deirdre had walked into Newbridge town to get a bank draft to send to a college friend in London for their rent deposit.
• At 2.14pm Deirdre is observed on CTTV walking on Main Street Newbridge.
• At approximately 2.18pm Deirdre is observed in the AIB bank getting a £100 bank draft and leaves the AIB Bank a short time later.
• At 2.26pm Deirdre is observed again on CCTV queuing in the Post Office Newbridge.
• At 2.32pm Deirdre is observed on CCTV speaking with a friend outside the Post Office on Main Street, Newbridge.
• At 2.35pm the last sighting of Deirdre, on CCTV, is recorded walking outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge.
• Deirdre was last seen shortly after 3pm near her family home outside Newbridge.
Deirdre was 5’3” in height with a slim build. She had grey/green eyes and dark, chin-length hair.
When she went missing on the 28th July 1998, Deirdre was wearing a navy, v-neck t-shirt with a white trim on the collar and sleeves, navy or black straight jeans and blue Nike runners.
Deirdre was carrying a distinctive black satchel type bag with long shoulder straps and the word CAT in large yellow capital letters on the side. The black satchel bag has never been located.
There has been a 26-year investigation into Deirdre’s disappearance during which significant enquiries have been carried out to establish her whereabouts and to investigate the circumstances in which she disappeared.
On the 20th anniversary of her disappearance An Garda Síochána confirmed that the missing person investigation had been upgraded to a murder investigation.
An Garda Síochána has submitted an investigation file on the murder of Deirdre Jacob to the Director of Public Prosecutions. No prosecution has been directed to date.
The murder investigation continues to be conducted by Gardaí from the Kildare Garda District, under a Senior Investigating Officer and with the available support of other resources from An Garda Síochána including the Serious Crime Review Team, as required.
An incident room remains in place at Kildare Garda Station and An Garda Síochána regularly update Deirdre’s parents, Michael and Bernadette and her family through a designated Family Liaison Officer.
Deirdre’s family and Garda investigation team urge any person or persons with information in relation to the murder of Deirdre Jacob to please come forward. An Garda Síochána are reminding the public that if you have information about Deirdre’s murder, not to assume that we already know it, or that is has limited value.
Anyone with information in relation to this investigation should contact the investigation team at Kildare Garda Station at 045 521222, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
