Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 5347Murder · Co. Kildare · 28 Jul 1998

Garda appeal for information on 1998 disappearance and murder of Deirdre Jacob, Newbridge, Co Kildare

Deirdre Jacob, an 18-year-old Irish woman, was last seen on Tuesday 28 July 1998 near her home in Roseberry, Newbridge, County Kildare. She was seen getting a bank draft at the AIB bank at about 2.18pm, and her last recorded sighting was on CCTV outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge, at 2.35pm. Gardaí upgraded the missing person investigation to murder on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance and submitted an investigation file to the DPP, but no prosecution has been directed and no suspect or arrest is reported. On 27 July 2024, on the 26th anniversary, gardaí and her family renewed their public appeal for information.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Deirdre Jacob, an 18-year-old Irish woman, disappeared in 1998, and gardaí are investigating her disappearance and death as murder.
Where
She was last seen near her home in Roseberry, Newbridge, County Kildare.
When
  • She was last seen on Tuesday, 28 July 1998; reports give her last sighting as about 3pm, while CCTV records her last outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge, at 2.35pm.
  • At about 2.18pm she was seen in the AIB bank getting a £100 bank draft.
Other details
  • She had just completed one year at St Mary's University in Twickenham, London, and was due to return to college that September.
  • She wore a navy v-neck t-shirt, navy or black straight jeans and blue Nike runners, and carried a distinctive black satchel-type bag with the word CAT on the side.
  • The black satchel bag has never been located.
Investigation
  • The missing person investigation was upgraded to a murder investigation on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance.
  • The murder investigation is run by Kildare Garda District under a Senior Investigating Officer, with an incident room at Kildare Garda Station.
  • Gardaí and the family renewed their appeal for information on the 26th anniversary of her disappearance, published on 27 July 2024.
Charges
An investigation file on the murder has been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions, and no prosecution has been directed to date.
21 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDeirdre was 18 years old in 1998. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatDeirdre was carrying a distinctive black satchel type bag with the word CAT on the side. (garda.ie)
  • whereShe was last seen near her home in Roseberry, Newbridge, County Kildare. (irishmirror.ie, garda.ie)
  • whenDeirdre Jacob was last seen on Tuesday, 28 July 1998. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenShe was last seen at approximately 3pm. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenAt 2:18pm she was seen in the AIB bank getting a £100 bank draft. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenAt 2:35pm she was last seen on CCTV outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenDeirdre Jacob was last seen on 28 July 1998. (garda.ie)
  • whenHer last recorded sighting on CCTV was outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street, Newbridge, at 2.35pm. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe missing person investigation was upgraded to a murder investigation on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí have submitted an investigation file on the murder to the DPP. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe murder investigation is conducted by Kildare Garda District under a Senior Investigating Officer. (irishmirror.ie, garda.ie)
  • investigationAn incident room remains in place at Kildare Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie, garda.ie)
  • investigationGardaí and the family urge anyone with information about the murder to come forward. (irishmirror.ie, garda.ie)
  • investigationOn the 20th anniversary of her disappearance, gardaí confirmed the missing person investigation had been upgraded to a murder investigation. (garda.ie)
  • investigationAn investigation file on the murder has been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions. (garda.ie)
  • chargeNo prosecution has been directed to date. (irishmirror.ie, garda.ie)
  • otherShe had just completed one year at St Mary's University in Twickenham, London. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherShe was wearing a navy, v-neck t-shirt, navy or black straight jeans and blue Nike runners. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherShe was carrying a distinctive black satchel-type bag with the word CAT on the side. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe black satchel bag has never been located. (irishmirror.ie, garda.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 Jul2024
    Othergarda.ie, first report
    Renewed Appeal to the Public for Information on the Disappearance and Murder of Deirdre Jacob, 28th July 2024

    Renewed public appeal on the 26th anniversary of her disappearance. States the investigation was upgraded to murder on the 20th anniversary, that a file has gone to the DPP with no prosecution directed, and that an incident room remains at Kildare Garda Station.

    victim, Deirdre Jacob, 18, female, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Jacob
  2. 27 Jul2024
    Otheririshmirror.ie, follow-up
    Gardai appeal for information on anniversary of Deirdre Jacob's disappearance

    Anniversary appeal for information. Adds that the case is a murder investigation, that an investigation file has been submitted to the DPP with no prosecution directed, and details of the last known sightings and the victim's bag and clothing.

    victim, Deirdre Jacob, 18 at time of disappearance, female, Irish, irishDeirdre Jacob