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CostaBlancaPeople 14th January - 20th January 2025
14th January - 20th January 2025 - EDITION 1077
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Body of John Hardy found and arrest made
Following days of searching, the body of missing Belfast father John Hardy (also known as John Geroge) has been found in Rojales and a 32-year-old man of Czech nationality arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder. The 37-year-old father of two from west Belfast was
last in touch with his family on 14th December. He was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland. His parents Billy and Sharon, brother Darren, and sisters Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland,
were involved in the search operation. A body was found on a Rojales farm which Spanish police believe is that of John George. Meanwhile a man appeared in court in Torrevieja after being arrested by Spanish police. The 32-year-old, who has not been named, was released on bail by the Spanish court who now regard him as an official suspect. In a statement, the Valencian Community’s High Court of Justice said: “The head of Torrevieja’s Court of Instruction Number Two, acting as a duty court, has decided to release with precautionary measures the man arrested in relationship to the homicide of a northern Irish citizen whose body was discovered in Rojales.” The decision appeared to confirm earlier reports police were planning to make more arrests with the suspected killer still on the run. The suspect told a court in Torrevieja, near Alicante, he was being scapegoated
because John’s family had named him on social media. Defence lawyer Manuel Ramon Rives also said the decision to detain his client was due to his “recent friendship” with the main suspect in the murder. John George’s family arrived in Belfast International Airport to be greeted by crowds of supporters who clapped and came forward to embrace them. Mr George told those gathered they are determined to bring his son home to claps and cheers, as well as chants of “justice for John”.
He told the PA news agency they were overwhelmed by the support, adding “I don’t know how we can ever repay all these people. Many have been with me from day dot to find John, three and a half weeks, nearly into the fourth week,” he said. “I wouldn’t have come home today if I had not got John. I’d have still got up every morning, put my boots on and searched fields. Mr George said they are now focused on getting his son’s body home and giving him a Christian burial. “It’s never going to be the same without John, but at least he’ll be home in Belfast where he belongs,” he said, adding: “I pray that I get justice for my son.”