A man who kept a nine-year-old lion in his back yard was found mauled to death in eastern Czech Republic.

Michal Prasek’s father found his mangled body in the lion’s cage which had been locked from the inside.

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In addition to the lion, Prasek had another lioness on his property for breeding purposes, which had drawn concerns from local residents.

The animals, which were in separate pens, were shot and killed by authorities. A police officer told local media the shootings were “absolutely necessary for them to get to the man”, according to the BBC.

Mayor Tomas Kocourek said the incident “will perhaps finally help to resolve this long-term problem.”

Prasek, 34, bought the lion in 2016 and the lioness last year.

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Previously, he had been fined for illegal breeding and lacked planning permits for the pens. Prasek refused to let any authorities onto his property and an impasse ensued over the animals.

Authorities were not allowed to forcibly remove the lions in the past because they did not have a safe place to put them, nor was there any evidence of animal cruelty – another reason the animals could have been taken.

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Last year, Prasek made headlines after a cyclist collided with a lioness Prasek had taken out for the walk on a leash. That incident was eventually labeled as a traffic accident.