AN INQUEST has opened into the death of a missing man who was found unresponsive by a dog walker.

Craig Martin Samuel Hayward was found in a wooded area between Elgin Road and Compton Drive in Poole on July 3, 2024.

An inquest into Mr Hayward’s death was opened by area coroner for Dorset, Brendan Allen, at Bournemouth town hall on July 9.

He was born in Lisburn in Northern Ireland in 1985 and worked as a dockworker, the inquest heard.

Mr Hayward was reported as missing on Monday, July 1 having last been seen on that morning.

Dorset Police received a report on the morning of Wednesday, July 3 that a man had been found unresponsive in Compton Gardens.

Coroner’s officer for Dorset, Matt Cave, told the inquest Mr Hayward was pronounced deceased at 10.12am on July 3, after he was found by a dog walker.

He was identified through photographs provided by the family and unique tattoo comparison, Mr Cave said.

The police have confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances relating to Mr Hayward’s death.

Mr Allen adjourned the inquest to February 21, 2025, at 10am, and requested more statements, including from Mr Hayward’s family, his GP and from any mental health services he was known to.

A post-mortem was carried out by pathologist Dr Robert Blahut at Holly Tree Lodge, with Dr Blahut ruling Mr Andrew’s cause of death as hanging.

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