'Fields are being checked... and body parts have been discovered'

Investigators believe sheep farmer was killed Forensic team comb farmland in latest twist

- MICHAEL O'TOOLE

GARDAI believe missing farmer Michael Gaine was chopped up and dumped in a slurry tank - with the tank then emptied and spread across several fields.

It comes as a Garda forensic team was combing fields near Mr Gaine’s home in Kenmare, Co Kerry, yesterday following the discovery of human tissue in a field nearby.

The Irish Sunday Mirror can now reveal several small body parts have been found in a number of fields over the past 24 hours.

Investigators are now awaiting tests to confirm if the remains found are those of 56-year-old Mr Gaine.

It's understood officers have come to the conclusion the sheep farmer, who vanished without trace eight weeks ago and is suspected to have been killed, was chopped up and dumped in a slurry tank.

A source told the Irish Mirror: "The belief now is that this tank was then emptied and spread across several fields.

"All of these fields are being checked and a number of other body parts have been discovered." The area being searched is understood to be in a number of fields on Mr Gaine's land, close to the farmyard at Carraig East, around 6km from Kenmare.