Deirdre Jacob’s ‘desperate’ family ‘convinced’ someone has ‘crucial’ murder case info & make fresh ‘never too late’ plea

THE heartbroken dad of missing teenager Deirdre Jacob says his family are “desperate” for people to come forward.

Michael Jacob has been searching for his daughter for 28 years.

He made the latest info appeal as the search of an old quarry in Co Wicklow enters its tenth day.

It is being undertaken by the Gardai’s Serious Crime Review Team and investigators from Kildare and Wicklow as they seek to find items of “evidential value” linked to the teenager’s disappearance in July 1998.

The Garda operation is also searching for clues linked to the disappearance of Jo Jo Dullard, 21, in November 1995.

As the search is expected to continue for the rest of the week, Mr Jacob said “now was the time” for those with information to come forward.

He and his wife Bernadette have also pleaded with people living abroad to contact Gardai with information.

Mr Jacob said: “We are desperately appealing to those people who have information but are yet to come forward to speak with the Gardai.

“Now is the time to bring forward the information because the investigation is very active at the moment.

“We are convinced there are people out there who have yet to come forward, but it’s never too late. No matter how small they think their information is, it could prove crucial to the investigation.

“Any piece of information will be added to the information that has already been collected by the Gardai and hopefully can assist the case.”

Deirdre was last seen on July 28, 1998, close her home in Newbridge, Co Kildare.

Cops have followed over 3,500 lines of inquiry to date.

Her case was upgraded to a murder inquiry in 2019.