Emotional plea for information on missing Kilkenny man

Friends and family of missing Dean Roche are appealing to the public for information, 11 years after he disappeared from Ballyfoyle in Co Kilkenny.

In an emotional post on social media site, Facebook, Dean's friend, Damien Hipwell spoke of his heartbreak over the disappearance of his friend over 11 years ago.

"It's crazy even typing these words out to think that 11 years have passed by so fast..so many things have happened in the 11 years so many changes some good some bad but the one thing remains the same Dean is still missing," he said.

"Personally I find it both outrageous and heartbreaking that no matter how hard we have tried to keep fighting for the truth to come out,  some people still refuse for whatever reasons,  not to clear their conscience," he added.

READ MORE: Bring Dean home - Kilkenny family's plea for information

Dean Roche from Hebron Park in Kilkenny went missing on the night of March 22, 2015 when he went to the Ballyfoyle area to buy a car. A short time after purchasing the car it was found crashed down the road. Dean vanished that night, never to be seen again.

Dean's brother, Eamon along with friend, Damien Hipwell have called on the garda investigation to be upgraded to murder and are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

“We just want to bring Dean home, not knowing what happened to Dean broke my mother’s heart and her dying wish was to be laid to rest beside Dean. I have my Mum’s ashes and I am waiting for Dean to be brought home so finally we can bury them together. It would mean a lot to be able to bury Mum and Dean,” said Eamon.

Both men are adamant that Dean Roche never left the Ballyfoyle area and that someone in the area knows what happened to him.

“If someone did something to Dean I don’t think that they intended to do it on the morning of that day. I don’t think he made it out of there of his own accord,” said Damien.

“We are just pleading to anyone with information that we lead us to find Dean to come forward with that information. No one is looking for vengeance or retribution, we just want to get him home and lay him to rest with Geraldine. Not knowing where Dean is is heartbreaking and we are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

Anyone with information can contact Kilkenny Garda Station on (056) 7775000.