Father whose torso was found in Leixlip canal may have been killed due to personal grudge

A father of one whose torso was found floating in a suitcase on a canal at Ardclough near Leixlip, may have been savagely killed due to a personal grudge, Gardai believe.

Officers say that Dubliner Kenneth O'Brien had no connection with crime.

However, they think he may have had conflict or irked someone with a grudge to bear, since he returned home last month after working in Australia.

Mr O'Brien was identified at 3.30p.m. yesterday after a DNA sample taken from the torso matched a sample provided by a member of his family.

The mechanic and JCB driver was the father of a little boy, and part of a family who are described as very respectable and hard-working.

Last night, detectives were making inquiries to establish his acquaintances since he came back - and determine if he had been involved in any incident that could be linked to his brutal demise.

One experienced investigator said: "It is rarely that we come across such savagery and we will be looking at people known to us with a history of violence as we sift through possible suspects for this awful crime."

They will also check whether Mr O'Brien believed himself to be under threat in recent weeks.

Their inquiries will focus on the Clondalkin area, where Mr O'Brien was last seen alive.

He vanished last week after telling his family that he was heading down the country to do some work.