A person has been jailed for dragging his useless uncle's "grey-coloured" corpse right into a submit workplace in a bid to assert his pension.

Irishman Declan Haughney, 40, of Carlow, County Carlow, hauled the physique of Peadar Doyle, 66, into the city's Hoseys Post Office with hopes to withdraw his €246 (£213) fee.

He was caught on CCTV alongside Gareth Coakley, 38, each of whom pleaded responsible to deception for the act.

The pair had been captured dragging the "lifeless" physique of Mr Doyle alongside the streets of Carlow and into the submit workplace on January 21, 2022.

They propped the pensioner's physique in opposition to a wall whereas trying to gather his fee.

Carlow Circuit Court heard the pair produced Mr Doyle's social welfare card and tried to gather his pension earlier than workers found he was useless.

Dublin Live reported that circuit Judge Eugene O’Kelly sentenced Mr Haughney to 2 and a half years with the ultimate six months suspended.

Mr Coakley obtained the identical sentence, with Mr Justice O'Kelly noting the pair's "callous disregard for the dignity and welfare of a dying man".

He added that they "refused an offer" for a name for assist earlier than they "literally abandoned" Mr Doyle's physique on the ground of the submit workplace.

A witness stated his physique appeared "grey coloured" as they dragged the corpse down the road.

His loss of life generated "extraordinary public interest", including to his household's emotional trauma.

Reading a sufferer influence assertion to the courtroom, Mr Doyle’s sister Noeleen Dowling stated the household was harm by the actions of Mr Haughney, who had diminished her brother's loss of life to "a macabre spectacle".

The decide agreed, saying: "No person should have to die in those circumstances."

Both defendants pleaded responsible on the eleventh hour on Wednesday, July 19, forward of a trial on account of start that day.

Mr Justice O’Kelly stated that had they not eliminated Mr Doyle's physique from his house, he would have "died peacefully in his bed".