Coronial inquest probes suspicious disappearance of Paddy Moriarty from tiny Northern Territory town of Larrimah

MISSING Larrimah man Paddy Moriarty had a heated argument in the street with the gardener of his pie cook neighbour the week before he disappeared, an inquest into his death has heard

Richard Simpson leaves Katherine Local Court after appearing at the inquest into the disappearance of Paddy Moriarty

MISSING Larrimah man Paddy Moriarty had a heated argument in the street with the gardener of his pie cook neighbour the week before he disappeared, an inquest into his death has heard.

Nearly every resident from the tiny wayside town gave evidence on Thursday at the inquest, which heard from police that if Paddy’s body was above ground near the town a search effort would likely have discovered it.

Paddy, 70, went missing without a trace in the week before he died last year, his neatly kept home undisturbed and his timid Kelpie pup, Kelly, also gone.

Former barman Richard Simpson said Paddy told him of an argument with gardener Owen Laurie, prompted by Kelly barking in the middle of the Stuart Hwy, in which Mr Laurie allegedly said, “If you don’t shut that dog up I’ll shut it up for you”.

The inquest heard Paddy replied: “Shut your mouth you old c*** or I’ll take your knees out from under you”.

The inquest heard the town, five hours south of Darwin, was beset with running tensions, in what Paddy’s close mate Kevin Horner described outside court as a “Hatfield and McCoy”-type dispute.

An inquest is underway into the disappearance of Larrimah man, Paddy Moriarty

Mr Simpson, who left Larrimah a week ago, vehemently denied suggestions he had been involved in Paddy’s disappearance.

“I’m too tired to be doing nonsense like that, and besides, Paddy was my mate,” he said.

Former resident Maurice Darby told the inquest town pie cook Fran Hodgetts “detested Paddy, and (he) likewise (her) but I reiterate that was verbal, not physical”.

He said Ms Hodgetts would often tell Paddy “in four letter words” to “go back to Ireland”, from where he emigrated when he was 18.

He said of Ms Hodgetts: “At the first hint of a puff of smoke Fran would make it a bushfire”.

Mr Darby said he and Paddy would sit at home most afternoons, with a quiet beer, watch the news and “peel apart the SBS and the ABC”.

Pink Panther Pub owner Barry Sharpe said the last words he heard Paddy say were “I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m coming over to get the lawnmower”.

Paddy has not been seen since he left the pub on December 16, where he followed his usual daily routine of drinking eight cans of XXXX Gold as the young girl from a tourist family took a fondness to Kelly.

“I remember him leaving, he got on his quad bike and left and that’s the last time I seen Paddy,” Mr Sharpe said.

At the conclusion of his evidence, Mr Sharpe turned to Coroner Greg Cavanagh and said: “I hope you find out what happened to Paddy”.

“So do I,” Mr Cavanagh replied.

Ms Hodgetts – who has vehemently denied to the press and to police that she was involved in Paddy’s disappearance – is due to give evidence on the second day of the inquest on Friday, along with Mr Laurie.

The inquest continues.