GARDAÍ HAVE CONFIRMED that a body found on a beach in England over 11 years ago is that of a missing Dublin man.

John Crawford was last seen on Aughrim Street in Dublin on October 18, 2000. He was classified as a missing person and public assistance was sought in trying to find him.

His case was featured on Crimeline in October 2002, to mark the second anniversary of his disappearance, and again on Crimecall in August 2007.

An updated age-progressed image was circulated internationally through Interpol in August 2010.

Last autumn officers from the Garda Serious Crime Review team were able to obtain a DNA profile of John from his personal possessions, and this DNA profile was sent internationally.

As a result, the Cumbria Constabulary have now been able to match John’s DNA to that of previously unidentified human remains which were discovered on Annaside Beach in Bootle, Liverpool, in December 2000.

Gardaí thanked the public and the media for their assistance in highlighting the case, and paid tribute to the “diligent work” of the major investigation team, without whom the DNA match would not have been made.