Sister of murdered Tony Dempsey (28) says her brother was ‘treated like an animal’

The body of Tony Dempsey (28) was discovered at the Kevin Barry House flat managed by the Peter McVerry Trust on Coleraine Street, Dublin last September.

Gardaí believe Dempsey, who had suffered fatal head injuries in an assault, was killed by someone he knew in a drug-related row and may have lain dead in the property for as long as 10 days.

When found, sources said Dempsey’s remains had decomposed to such a stage that an initial visual identification was no longer possible.

His sister Catherine Dempsey today told Newstalk that her brother was treated “worse than an animal”.

“He was left buried under a pile of clothes after being beaten to death,” she said.

“They did that to make sure he wasn’t found. He was left to rot. The emergency services were only alerted when the smell got so bad.”

It is understood that gardaí have interviewed more than 50 people who may have entered and left the Kevin Barry House flat in September, but no one has been arrested over Tony Dempsey’s murder.

Catherine said she knows his killers are still out there as she called for anyone with information on her brother’s death to come forward.

“A lot of people out there know who killed Tony. My brother’s killers are still roaming the streets.

“Please, please, if anyone out there knows anything about what happened to my brother, please go to the gardaí.

“As a family, we want to see his killers behind bars.”

Ms Dempsey said she wants to leave the council accommodation she is currently living in with her four children.

“I’m terrified that they could target me or my family too. We are scared. My children are scared.

“My son read online about what happened to his uncle a few weeks after it happened. He is scared that those people who killed Uncle Tony will come and get him too.

“I’m living close to where my brother was living.“I’m terrified that my children or I may bump into Tony’s killers.

“I can’t live here anymore, but I’ve been told there’s no alternative accommodation, so it’s either stay here close to my brother’s killers or become homeless.

“I’m pleading with Dublin City Council to find me alternative accommodation.”