AN Englishman who went to extraordinary lengths to live a double life in Australia before he was found dead in a Sydney unit in 2014 has been identified by a coroner as John Pritchard.

The man’s former boyfriend found his body in a Manly unit but when authorities attempted to identify him, it soon became apparent many aspects of his life didn’t stack up.

Mr Pritchard went by the name Paul Lachlan while in Australia and NSW Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame on Monday described him as “somewhat mysterious” and “ultimately quite unknowable, even to those closest to him”. Throughout a 17-year relationship his ex-partner, who can’t be named for legal reasons, never saw official mail, a driver’s licence, Medicare card, tax file number or passport.

Mr Pritchard paid for everything in cash and revealed minimal details about his background.

media_camera Mr Pritchard was described as “unknowable” by a Sydney coroner.

Police searched fingerprint databases, checked the electoral roll, spoke with the Immigration Department and contacted the British consulate and air force — all without success.

It wasn’t until the man’s niece in the UK recognised his photographs that police made major progress.

One relative who lost contact in 2002 said she never considered filing a missing person report.

“As far as I was concerned, he was not missing. I knew he was living a very happy life in the country he wanted to live in,” she said.

Australia’s Department of Immigration confirmed a man by the name of John Pritchard with the same date of birth entered Australia in 1996 and DNA comparisons with relatives showed “moderately strong” matches. Police found flatmates from his former Surry Hills address who recalled changing the locks after Mr Pritchard was accused of stealing rent money, a computer and CDs in 1997.

media_camera No one ever filed a missing persons report for Mr Pritchard.

He started using the name Paul Lachlan around the same time but “provided sketchy and sometimes conflicting versions of his past” while living in Australia illegally.

A friend who volunteered with Mr Pritchard at Lifeline was once told his parents did not accept his sexuality, the coroner’s report states.

“That may have been part of the reason for the distance he had from his family,” Ms Grahame said.

“I have no way now of knowing if that is true.” The coroner said Mr Pritchard was initially an uplifting, caring and loving person but became “a somewhat troubled young man”.

She offered condolences to Mr Pritchard’s former partner and family and agreed to suppress details of his cause of death.

“While they had not been in contact for years, I understand their shock and loss is nevertheless significant,” Ms Grahame said.

Originally published as ‘Unknowable’ man identified