Jill Meagher: Man Charged Over Death In Oz

A man has been charged with the rape and murder of Irish woman Jill Meagher after a body was discovered in a shallow grave.

Adrian Ernest Bayley was brought before a special court where he was charged over the disappearance of the 29-year-old in Melbourne, Australia.

Mrs Meagher, from Drogheda, Co Louth, was last seen leaving a bar in the early hours of Saturday after a night out with colleagues.

It is understood her body was discovered in a shallow grave at Gisbourne South, about 30km from where she vanished.

A Victoria Police spokesman said officers were continuing with forensic analysis of the scene.

Bayley, 41, from the Coburg suburb of Melbourne, was remanded in custody and will appear before magistrates' again in the morning.

He was arrested after the last image of Mrs Meagher on a shop's CCTV footage showed her talking to a man wearing a blue hoodie before she vanished.

There has also been a witness report that a car made a U-turn on the street after Mrs Meagher walked past.

Her husband, Thomas, raised the alarm when she failed to make the short walk to her home less than a mile from Bar Etiquette in Sydney Road, Brunswick.

Mrs Meagher had been out with colleagues from Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio, leaving them at around 1.30am local time.

Following the news of her death, the radio station put out a statement saying it was "deeply saddened and pained by the tragic news".

"Jill was a much loved member of the Local Radio family. She was witty, intelligent and great company.

"Her friends and workmates at the ABC will miss her greatly. This tragic outcome will undoubtedly weigh heavily on them, and they will be supported through this dark time.

"Jill was an innocent victim, a young, vibrant woman with her whole life in front of her."

Her disappearance sparked a huge social media campaign to find her, with well-known presenters from ABC helping to spread the message.

The case took a twist after a handbag containing several items believed to belong to Mrs Meagher was found in a laneway off Hope Street. It was not discovered in an initial search of the area.

Earlier this month, Irish backpacker David Greene died in hospital in Melbourne almost two weeks after a hammer attack.

The 30-year-old and his friend David Byas, both from Cabinteely in Dublin, were injured in an alleged assault in the city on August 26.

Luke James Wentholt, from St Kilda East, has been charged with his murder.