Police name man found dead at St Mary's school

Police are satisfied foul play was not involved in the death of a man whose body was found in the grounds of a small Catholic primary school in Avondale, West Auckland, on Easter Sunday.

They have named him this afternoon as Clarrie Henry, aged 50.

Uniformed police and detectives in forensic overalls swarmed over St Marys Primary School in Great North Road for several hours on Sunday afternoon, after initially describing the death as suspicious because of where it was found late that morning.

But although they said they found injuries on Mr Henry's body, a post mortem conducted this morning by pathologists at Auckland City Hospital has left them satisfied there are no suspicious circumstances.

"Police are not seeking anyone else in relation to Mr Henry's death, which will now be referred to the Coroner," a spokeswoman said this afternoon.

She said the dead man's family was being supported by police and Victim Support.

His body was discovered at 11am by the school's cleaner, as parishioners were celebrating the second of two morning Easter Sunday masses at St Marys Church on the same site.

The school's entrance on Gt North Rd has no gates and is often used as a thoroughfare by members of the public to reach a walkway and other streets at the rear.

School caretaker Maka Halatoa, who was second on the scene on Sunday, said Mr Henry was lying on grass outside a classroom - on his back and his arms outstretched.

Police at the Auckland primary school where the body was discovered. Photo / Daniel Hines