Body of father found in Maitland: PHOTOS

The 37-year-old’s  body was found when a gardener watering the grass near the courthouse about 11.30am noticed the door of a cubicle in the male toilet had been closed for some time.

The gardener went to look and became worried so called for help from a man who was passing by.

Together the men tried desperately to push the toilet door open, but the body had slumped heavily against it, ­jamming it tight, so they rang the police and ambulance.

The area around the toilet was ­cordoned off with police tape as ­forensic officers arrived to take ­photographs and examine the scene.

Police said the circumstances of the man’s death were still being examined, but stressed there were no suspicious circumstances.

“The body of a 37-year-old man from Newcastle – a married man with ­children – was found in the male toilet next to Maitland Court House on Wednesday,” Central Hunter crime manager Detective Inspector John Zdrilic told the Mercury last night.

“There are no suspicious ­circumstances surrounding his death.

“The man has not been formally identified as yet and his next of kin have been informed.

“This is a very sensitive time for them and we wish the incident to be treated with sensitivity.”

Inspector Zdrilic said police had ­canvassed the area and found the man’s vehicle parked in a car park near the courthouse.

“This vehicle has been seized by police and both it and its contents are being examined,” he said.

The gardener who raised the alarm said: “I saw a door in one of the cubicles in the men’s toilet had been closed for a time and I became alarmed.

“I thought someone might be hurt in there, so I asked a passerby to help me open the toilet door.”

The passerby said: “I could not push the cubicle door open, but I could see a man lying behind it who was blocking it.

“We rang police and ambulance, then pushed the door ­several times but it wouldn’t move.

“It couldn’t be opened until police arrived.”