One man, who took his uncle’s body to the post office in order to get his pension, claimed he didn’t even know that he was gone.
Declan Haughney was 40 years old and claimed not to be attempting to rob Peadar D Doyle, 66. After he and Gareth Coakley sat the pensioner for five minutes in between their home and Hosey’s Post Office in Carlow (Ireland), 50 miles south-east of Dublin, Declan Haughney and Gareth Coakley pushed him up.
Haughney, a former drug addict, admitted that he had stolen from his aunt in the past.
According to him, people living in his community were saying he killed his uncle. They tried to rob his house because ‘I’m a thief. [have]”I’ve done it before.”
Declan Haughney (40) claimed that he wasn’t an eejit and was not trying to rob Peadar Doyle, 65. After the incident, he was attacked and suffered a dark eye. Because he was previously in jail for theft from his aunt, Haughney stated that people believed he had robbed him uncle.
He claimed that he didn’t know anything and that he had no intention of being an eejit.
‘Am I cuckoo? Am I cuckoo? He told The Irish Mirror that he was not.
He answered, “Why would I want my uncle robbed?” He said that he was 40 and that he is not a child.
“I am not an eejit that walks into Hoseys and takes money from a deceased man.
Mr Haughney claimed that he took his aunt’s pin and bank card 15 years back when the mail arrived. After serving two years of fraud, he was released from jail.
But he claimed he had been drug-free for the past three years, and that his uncle died from natural causes.
Declan Haughney and Gareth Coakley (left), dragged Mr Doyle from Hosey’s Post Office in Carlow, to collect the 66 year-old’s pension
He added, “I am off the gear three year and doing well,”
According to Mr Haughney, he believes that Mr Doyle may have died prior to reaching the post office.
The 40-year-old also claimed he was attacked and suffered a black eye following the incident at the post office last Friday.
He and his friend Mr Coakley were called fraudsters after they carried Mr Doyle’s corpse to a post office in an alleged bid to claim his pension, in scenes reminiscent of the 1989 film Weekend At Bernie’s.
Pictured: Gardaí take the body of the man, named locally as Peadar Doyle, from Hosey’s shop in County Carlow, Ireland after ‘fraudsters’ allegedly tried to claim his pension on Friday morning, putting a jumper over his face and a hat on his head
Dark comedy about two insurance salesmen carrying around their dead boss’ body – presuming he’s still breathing – lose and then recover the corpse which has been dressed in sunglasses and is covered with tinted glass several times.
Irish police investigated whether the deceased man was still alive for at least two days prior to the grisly incident.
They had put a jumper across Mr Doyle’s head and a hat over his head.
Staff were asked questions about the health of the pensioner and the men said that the man was suffering from a heart attack. They then placed the body on a ground. Pictured: Gardaí outside the shop in County Carlow yesterday
These fraudsters’ actions echoed the film Weekend at Bernie’s (1989). A dark comedy about two insurance agents carrying the corpse of their deceased boss around, pretending they’re still alive, and losing and recovering his body, which was clothed in sunglasses and tinted with blood, multiple times. Above, you can see the movie, which stars Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman.
Are you familiar with this? Weekend At Bernie’s
Weekend At Bernie’s, a US dark comedy that was released in 1989 stars Andrew McCarthy (‘Larry’), and Jonathan Silverman(‘Richard’), as insurance salespeople at low levels.
They were looking through records of the New York company where they worked when the two discovered fraudulent paperwork. But, Bernie their boss is responsible.
After they tell him, Bernie invites them to spend a weekend at his beach house in the Hamptons – unaware that he has ordered the Mob to kill them.
Bernie, who had been sleeping with the mobster’s girlfriend before they arrived at the beach house gets ‘whacked’.
Larry and Richard arrive to find the body just as party guests begin arriving.
To avoid getting involved in Bernie’s murder, the couple pretend that he is still living and put sunglasses on his face to disguise his dead body.
They have many hi-jinks, with Bernie falling from a boat and into the water.
The men went to the post office before and attempted to obtain the money. However, staff said that Mr Doyle or his nearest of kin needed to be there.
They allegedly took Mr Doyle to his home, then carried him on a footpath to try to get his pension again.
An employee of Hosey’s Post Office in County Carlow became concerned by his appearance and asked him if he was ill.
According to reports, the men told Doyle that he was suffering from a heart attack. They then placed Doyle’s body on the ground.
Gardaí and an ambulance were called as events yesterday unfolded and the men stayed at the post office, making no attempt to escape, according to the Sunday World.
One mother claimed her daughter was able to see the two men carrying a man in the mail office.
She spoke to The Irish Independent and said the man was unwell, that his feet were “dragging the ground”, and she felt sorry for him.
People initially believed the man had suffered a cardiac arrest when there was a long line outside the post office.
She stated that she felt terrible for the staff. I have a 12-year old daughter. It’s awful.’
It is understood that the men told Gardaí Mr Doyle was alive when he was brought into the post office.
Although no arrests were made, both men have provided statements and were interrogated by the Guards.
Gardaí are investigating if Mr Doyle died at a nearby property of natural causes.
Many of the neighbours and residents who knew Mr Doyle were shocked and saddened by his passing.
A number of people described him as a neighbor and loveable man. Others said it was a sad night and shock.
Mayor of Carlow, Ken Murnane, said: ‘I was absolutely shocked to hear about what happened.
“I can’t believe that anyone would do such a thing. This is beyond belief. I am just stunned.
A Garda spokesperson said Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the unexplained death of an elderly male in the Carlow area on Friday morning.
According to officers, Mr Doyle could have died around three hours prior to his arrival at the post office.
Although no arrests have yet been made, both men were interviewed by Gardai to obtain statements. Photo: Gardai carried out an investigation at the scene yesterday