Solving the Somerton man mystery: no Russian spy, just a bit of a loner who wrote poetry?

It is a case that captured the attention of Australia and the world, with all the hallmarks of a great mystery novel. A body on the beach. Slumped against the sea wall, the man is well dressed but no one can identify him.

The records show Webb separated from his wife, Abbott says.

Details about Webb were provided when the couple filed for divorce.

Abbott had joked several years ago they were the first letters of horse names, and the divorce papers reveal Webb was fond of horse racing and betting.

Despite many believing Somerton man was a foreigner because no one came forward to identify the body, Abbott says the fact that Webb was from Victoria correlates with what police said at the time.

Abbott says Webb had a brother-in-law called Thomas Keane who lived a 20-minute drive away from him in Melbourne.

The statement issued by South Australian police on Wednesday said:

The decision to formally confirm the identity still rests in the hands of the coroner.