Body outside Royal for days, say police

THE body of a man found dead outside the Royal Hobart Hospital may have been there for days, in what police say are “unusual circumstances”.

A passer-by discovered the body, belonging to a man in his 40s, about 2am yesterday in some bushes near the hospital’s emergency department ramp in the CBD.

Tasmania Police Detective Inspector Adrian Bodnar said the body was in a mild state of decomposition. At this stage, police are ruling out foul play but have not confirmed the cause of death.

Insp Bodnar said a pathologist report suggested there was no evidence of assault.

The man’s body was found at the corner of Campbell and Liverpool streets.

He was wearing a black zipup polar fleece top, grey track pants and white sandshoes, with a black Piping Hot backpack near him.

“From a review of the crime scene examination photos myself, people may have walked past that location and you wouldn’t necessarily have seen the deceased in there,” Insp Bodnar said.

“I know that may sound a little bit unrealistic but … that may well have been the case.”

Insp Bodnar said the man had not been formally identified but police believed they knew who it was.

The man, believed to be the deceased, was last seen about 7pm on October 15 within the Hobart area.

“I understand he last went to the Royal Hobart Hospital on the 13th of October and that will form part of our investigation,” Insp Bodnar said.

He said suicide had not been ruled out and the man had a “history of mental health challenges”.

Insp Bodnar described it as an unusual set of circumstances.

“I think in my 30 years of policing it’s one of the most unusual ones I’ve dealt with.

“People walk past there every morning and every afternoon on their way to and from the city, but given the position the body was located in, it doesn’t surprise me that he may have been there for one or two days, or longer.”

Police are attempting to contact the next of kin.

Anyone with information that may help the police investigation is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online via www.crimestopperstas.com.au. If you or anyone you know needs help: ruok.org.au/findhelp; Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; beyondblue: 1300 22 4636.