Arlene Arkinson killed by sex offender, Inquest finds

A CORONER has found that the young Castlederg girl, Arlene Arkinson, was killed by sex offender Robert Howard on the morning of her disappearance after attending a disco in Bundoran 27 years ago.

Speaking at Omagh Coroner’s Court earlier, Coroner Mr Brian Sherrard, said there is no record of the 15 year-old being alive following that.

He concluded his findings, which lasted for more than two hours, by saying that Robert Howard was the last person to see her alive and was responsible for her death.

“Robert Howard, a violent sexual offender, was the last person to see Arlene alive and was responsible for her death,” he said.

WATCH: Kathleen Arkinson gives a statement after an inquest found her sister Arlene was murdered by Robert Howard

“The mechanism of her death is unknown, but the court is confident of the date of death as August 14 1994 as Howard began creating alilbi of the morning of August 14, 1994, at a time when Arlene’s disappearance had still not become known.”

Mr Sherrard also found that following her killing, Arlene’s remains were buried somewhere in the north.