THE body of a suspected burglar, whose body was found inside a chimney at a Derby solicitors' firm, was identified by his fingerprints.
An inquest has heard how a police officer took prints from the remains of Kevin Gough and ran them through a national crime computer after he was pulled from inside the chimney.
The results enabled detectives to identify the partly-decomposed body of the 42-year-old.
Detective Constable Tom Bentley told the inquest how Mr Gough, who was unemployed, single and of no fixed address, last had a registered address in St Helens, Merseyside. Giving evidence at Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court, he said: "On May 1 staff at Moody and Woolley Solicitors, in St Mary's Gate, Derby, were having repairs at their building.
"Because of a strong smell coming from the building they called in a pest control company.
"The building was examined by a pest control worker and his investigations led him to believe that the source of the smell was coming from inside the chimney which was boarded up and sealed.
"It was reported to the police who then attended."
Coroner Dr Robert Hunter told the inquest how a pathologist at the Royal Derby Hospital carried out a post-mortem examination on the body on Thursday evening.
He said: "Due to the advanced state of decomposition the pathologist was unable to give a definitive cause of death and further tests will be carried out."
Dr Hunter adjourned the inquest pending investigations. Yesterday the family of Mr Gough, who live in the Liverpool area, said they did not wish to comment.
In November 2010 Mr Gough was jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to two charges of burgling commercial premises in Derby.
He admitted burgling Cullen's takeaway and The Royal, in Victoria Street. At the time Mr Gough was living in Lilac Court, Alvaston.
Yesterday residents in the cul-de-sac expressed their shock at the discovery.
One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "I didn't know the bloke but to hear that the body might have been inside that chimney for a few weeks is terrible.
"I feel for his family."
A woman in Lilac Close said two of the flats in Lilac Court used to be rented out to an organisation that re-homed offenders on their release from prison but she did not know Mr Gough.
She said: "It's horrible to hear that whatever happened he might have been there in that chimney for such a long time."
A police spokesman said: "Kevin Gough, of no fixed abode, was found at a premises in St Mary's Gate around noon on Wednesday, May 1.
"Police are not treating his death as suspicious."
