Postmortem due on Bantry body

A postmortem is to be carried out on the body of a Englishman in his 50s who was found with serious head injuries in Bantry in west Cork yesterday.

The remains of the 53-year-old father-of-two were taken to Cork University Hospital this morning where Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis is due to carry out the examination.

Gardaí have identified the deceased but have not released his name because they are trying to contact relatives living in the UK.

The body was found with serious head injuries at an embankment near a house in Seskin, 2km from the centre of the town, at about 5.20pm.

The dead man lived with his children and partner in a flat in Bantry.

Last night gardaí suspended their questioning of a man in his late 60s, who was arrested in connection with the death, after he complained of feeling unwell. The man was taken to Bantry General Hospital.

He had been held at Bantry Garda station under section four of the Criminal Justice Act on suspicion of having committed an assault.

Garda technical experts have started a forensic examination of a bungalow and a garden where the deceased is understood to have been socialising before his death.

It was unclear if any implement or weapon was involved in the man’s death.