Wexford man’s body found when woman notices Christmas tree lights still on

Police believe body was undiscovered for three months

By: PATRICK COUNIHAN | Published Tuesday, March 20, 2012, 7:50 AM | Updated Tuesday, March 20, 2012, 7:50 AM

Christmas tree lights led neighbors to the grim discovery of a man’s dead body in his Wexford home.

The pensioner died alone and his body lay undiscovered until Sunday evening.

A woman passing in the street noticed the Christmas tree with the lights still on and alerted local police.

Officers gained access to the house and found the body of the man. It’s believed the man was in his 60s and originally from Britain.

Locals said he didn’t mix much in the area and was a ‘very private’ person.

Reports also say that police believe that the man’s remains had lain on the floor in a bedroom of the small rented terraced house for weeks as the home was still fully decorated for Christmas.

A local priest said neighbors were shocked that the man’s body had remained undiscovered for so long.

Fr Aidan Walsh, from the Franciscan Friary across the road from the house, spoke to local media.
“We didn’t know anything about it until we saw a commotion going on across the street on Sunday evening,” he said.

“We are shocked that someone was found like that. It’s very sad.”

A police spokesman confirmed they were not treating the death as suspicious.

“It looks like the man had been dead for a long time,” he said. “The woman who raised the alarm did so because she thought it was odd that the Christmas tree was still up in spring with its lights still on.”