The High Court has heard the family of Statia Purcell are very upset after her image was used without permission in a violent and pornographic US horror film.

The family are trying to stop further distribution of the film 'Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort', which they say is selling well.

The disappearance of Ms Purcell (66) last year sparked a nationwide search, partly assisted by a photograph of her taken by her son in law.

Her body was found eight days later in a tributary of the River Barrow.

It has been claimed the very same photograph appears in a film by Twentieth Century Fox called 'Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort'.

It was described in court by the family's lawyers as a movie of gratuitous violence and pornography.

The court heard Ms Purcell's image appears between scenes of extraordinary horror on a board of missing persons - but in this photo she has been turned into a man.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan refused the family's request for a court order restraining further broadcast or distribution of the film without giving the other side a chance to have their say.

The case will return to court next Wednesday.

Newstalk's courts correspondent Francesca Comyn gave background to this case to Breakfast.