Recovering body from ‘murky and dirty’ tank was ‘complicated’ by the tight space – fire officers
FIRE officers have told how the removal of the remains of Bobby Ryan from an underground tank was a “complicated” operation because of the tight confines of the space.
Nobody told them to wait for the State pathologist or forensics to examine the body in situ, the trial heard.
Bernard O’Brien, now retired from Tipperary Town Fire Service, said they were called to the farm at Fawnagowan shortly after 6.10pm on April 30, 2013, having been requested by gardaí to move the body.
Officers put on chemical suits to avoid contamination and a decision was made to place the body on tarpaulin in order to disturb as little as possible, he said.
He described the tank as “very murky and dirty” and the operation was “more complicated” than taking a body from a lake or river because of the tight space.
Under cross-examination by Lorcan Staines SC, for the defence, Mr O’Brien said nobody had told them to wait for the body to be examined in situ by the State pathologist or by forensics.
Fire officers Patrick Flanagan and Patrick Meagher told how they assisted in the removal of the body, which was partially submerged in slurry.
They had some difficulty in placing the tarpaulin under the body in order to lift it to the surface, they told the court.
Earlier, the trial heard how the accused, Pat Quirke, had told gardaí how he had been taking water from an “old septic tank” which he claimed was connected to the milking parlour because he wanted to mix slurry with an agitator he had borrowed from a neighbour.
Inspector David Buckley told the trial Mr Quirke claimed he last used this tank in 2008 and had not lifted the lids since.
Asked if anyone was out with him, Mr Quirke replied that there should have been a student with him but he “got a kick from a cow last Friday and he’s out since”.
Mr Quirke was then asked if it was not late in the year to be spreading slurry and he agreed it was but said “the year is late”.
Mr Quirke told gardaí he had pried one of the cement lids off with a shovel.
He had looked into the tank because when he started sucking the water out with a hose, it seemed to be “sucking from the bottom of the tank”, he said.
He saw a body and thought it was lying face up, he told gardaí.
Mr Quirke said he rang his wife, Imelda, later explaining that he did this “by instinct” and he wanted someone to confirm what he had seen.