Manx coroner returns open verdict in case of Irish man who went missing 10 years ago

John Roche's body was exhumed before Christmas and buried in Arklow. File picture

A coroner in the Isle of Man has returned an open verdict in the case of an Irishman who went missing more than a decade ago.

The remains of John “Tayto” Roche were recovered by fishermen on April 12, 2013, after he went missing the previous December.

The fishing vessel — The Anzac — had been dredging the seabed off the coast of Ramsey, when it located the body of a man who was wearing brown shoes. At the time, his identity could not be established, and his remains were buried in Lonan in 2014 by the Manx community.

A breakthrough in the case, however, occurred when DNA evidence identified him as 40-year-old Mr Roche from Co. Wicklow. His identity was formally confirmed in Douglas Courthouse in the Isle of Man this week when an inquest into his death was concluded.

The court was told that DNA samples from his son and brother in 2019, following a TV appeal about missing people, confirmed the match.

His former partner, who saw him on December 19, 2012, told the court his alcohol intake had affected his mental health, adding: "I knew something was wrong with him." 

His sister described how he appeared "very quiet" on the day he went missing and panicked when she could not locate him and reported him missing.

Mr Roche, who was unemployed at the time, had been seen walking towards the quayside, on December 20.

According to Manx radio this week, Coroner of Inquests James Brooks said Mr Roche, who had no links to the Isle of Man, had left his phone and wallet at home on December 20, 2012, and had not left a note.

The coroner ruled out suicide and accidental death, but said Mr Roche’s behaviour was "somewhat out of the ordinary". He said: "There’s no way John could have survived long in the water." 

He added there was no evidence about what had taken place between Mr Roche entering the water and his body being recovered.

He offered his condolences to Mr Roche’s family, who attended the hearing, and said the DNA evidence had made it a "very interesting matter to deal with". 

Mr Roche’s body was exhumed before Christmas and buried in Arklow.