Dogs mutilated remains of dead farmer

THE body of an elderly Kerry farmer, who lived alone, was badly mutilated by dogs in his home an inquest conducted by Coroner Terence Casey was told in Killarney yesterday.

James (Jimmy) O’Shea, 69, of Brackross, Tahilla, Sneem, was dead for a number of days before being found by a neighbour that regularly brought food and messages to him.

A jury returned an open verdict after being told by assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster that she could not give a cause of death as there was so little of the body left following predatory damage by dogs.