Body parts man had brain surgery

A mystery man whose body parts were found in rubbish at a waste recycling plant had undergone brain surgery, tests have shown.

Gardaí are now pinning their hopes of identifying the man on the medical profession, relatives or friends who would know his medical history or those involved in his post-operative care. Neurological screws found on both sides of the man’s skull are being analysed for any identifying marks that might reveal where and when the surgery took place.

It is believed he had bilateral craniotomies, where sections of skull were removed from both sides of his head to allow for repairs to be carried out on the brain beneath.

Likely reasons for such extensive surgery include a car accident or serious assault leading to major head trauma. It is possible he was left with problems such as seizures, epilepsy or poor memory so he may have been known to numerous health professionals.

The man’s remains were discovered at Thornton’s Recycling facility in Ballyfermot, Dublin, where a worker found a leg and foot on July 31. Follow-up searches by gardaí recovered further sections of leg the next day.

Since then, more body parts have been recovered but gardaí would not elaborate, citing operational reasons and the sensitivities of any family the man may have.

Renewing their appeal for help from the public yesterday, the investigation team confirmed for the first time that the deceased was male, and said he was aged between 25 and 45 and measured between 5ft 8” and 6ft in height although his race or ethnicity is not yet known.

“There are a lot of tests yet to be carried out,” Superintendent Paul Moran of the Garda Press Office said. He confirmed the remains were dismembered although it was not yet possible to say how the man died. It is believed he died four or five days before he was discovered.

Thirty gardaí are working on the investigation which is also drawing on the expertise of Interpol and the Garda Missing Persons Bureau.

One thousand tonnes of rubbish were sifted through at the depot where the search is now complete but work is continuing to identify the area where the waste was collected. Despite the scale of the inquiries, it has not yet been classed as a murder investigation.

Supt Moran said: “We have yet to determine the cause of death. That will determine the type of investigation we proceed to.”