THE London-based family of a missing Dublin woman have asked gardaí to allow them to examine unseen CCTV footage that they believe could hold the key to solving the baffling case.
Esra Uyrun, a 38-year-old mother-of-one, was last seen leaving her home in Clondalkin, west Dublin, on the morning of February 23, 2011.
Her car, a silver Renault Twingo, was later found in a car park in Bray, Co. Wicklow. Her coin purse, containing her driving licence and a €50 note, was discovered in the boot of the vehicle.
Efforts to enhance the grainy video footage of the car driving towards the seaside car park and identify the driver – who the family believe are responsible for Esra’s abduction and probable murder – have to date been unsuccessful.
A recent review of the blurry footage by specialists in London in a last-ditch bid to identify the mystery driver’s face proved unsuccessful.
Berna Fidan is hopeful that further evidence may come to light about her sister’s disappearanceHowever, Esra’s family insist there is further CCTV footage – recorded in the vicinity of her Clondalkin home on the morning she disappeared – that has yet to be examined by investigators.
The missing woman’s older sister Berna Fidan spent a week in Ireland in February on an annual appeal for information. Her visit coincided with the 14th anniversary of Esra’s disappearance.
During her visit she met with garda representatives, during which she demanded that all remaining video footage connected to her case be scrutinised.
The 59-year-old grandmother-of-one said: “We know the gardaí have looked at the footage of Bray carpark, and that was sent over to England but unfortunately they were unable to improve its quality.
“But there is more CCTV footage near Esra’s home and the street she lived on which needs to be examined. This is absolutely vital because we’ve always suspected that something happened near her home, shortly after she left her house.
Siblings Berna Fidan and Esra Uyrun pictured with their mother Meriman in happier times“I’ve asked about this previously and have been told the footage isn’t time-stamped and it would require too much manpower to trawl through it.
“Well, I’m offering my services. I’ll take a month off work or however long it takes to sift through all the footage if they’d just let me.
“I appreciate there are data protection rules concerning the release of CCTV evidence to a member of the public, but I’m willing to sit down with someone with authority or another garda whilst I do this.
“We know there is footage available both near her home and by the DART crossing in Bray which her car must have passed that morning. I’m convinced some of the footage has yet to be looked at.
“This is our best and maybe only remaining hope of finding out what happened to her. We’ve absolutely nothing else to go on.”
Holding back the tears, she added: “I can’t put into words the feeling of despair we as a family are feeling. We’re stuck in this vicious circle, and are desperate for someone to come forward.
“I dread my trip to Ireland every year, but I have to do it. I’m not getting any younger. I turn 60 this year and I’m mentally exhausted.
“But I know that someone over there knows what happened to Esra, and that’s why I can’t give up. We have to find that person.”