Man quizzed over murder of Kyran Durnin told neighbours - 'I didn't do it'

A man arrested and questioned yesterday over the murder of Kyran Durnin told his neighbours a few days ago: “I didn’t do it, his disappearance has nothing to do with me.”

The man was angry and annoyed after the front window of his home in Drogheda was smashed in and he had to move his children out for their own safety. The incident happened after recent social media comments about the case.

The man who is in his late thirties is known to Kyran’s family. It is understood Kyran had visited the man’s home with his mother Dayla a few years ago, but he hadn’t seen him since.

He told his neighbours: “I know absolutely nothing about this child going missing, it has nothing to do with me. The whole case has ruined my life, no matter what happens."

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Neighbours defended the man and said he was a very good father. One woman who lives beside him said: “He is a brilliant dad and loves his kids. They are absolutely spotless, he brings them to school every day and looks after them really well.

“Everybody here in this estate is shocked that he has been arrested and I don’t think anybody for one second believes that he could do anything to harm that little lad Kyran. It is just not in his nature, he really is a fantastic father.

“He was furious that his house was attacked and he was being accused of something which he said had nothing to do with him. He was also terrified his kids would be hurt so he moved them out for their own safety."

Meanwhile, gardai spent the day searching a house in Drogheda and digging up its garden looking to see if they could find Kyran’s body.

It is understood gardai are also going to search the drains in the area after being given information from the public that someone was seen acting suspiciously around the drains.

The man is being questioned at a Garda station on the east coast.

A woman known to Kyran who is in her twenties was released on Wednesday after being held for 24 hours about the murder. Detectives say she gave answers to a number of important questions.

Gardai believe the child was killed in the second half of 2022 when he was still six year old. They are still not ruling out that his death was accidental and for whatever reason was deliberately covered up.

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