Man guilty of manslaughter of 80-year-old Tipperary man

Man found guilty of manslaughter of 80-year-old Tipperary man last year

Updated / Friday, 6 Nov 2026 17:22

A 32-year-old man has been found guilty of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Timothy 'Teddy' Murnane in Tipperary last year.

Sean Harding, of Marian Terrace in Tipperary town, was today found not guilty of Mr Murnane's murder but guilty of his manslaughter at the deceased's home at Michaels Avenue in Tipperary town on 12 September 2025.

Court registrar Ruth Penney said the jury, made up of seven women and five men, had deliberated for a total of seven hours and 40 minutes, following a trial that lasted eight days. The jury returned a majority verdict of 10 to 2.

Harding originally pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, adding that he was guilty of manslaughter.

He had also pleaded guilty to three counts of theft, two at St Michael's Avenue on 12 September last year and a third at another address at St Michael's Avenue between 11 and 12 September.

The murder trial opened at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Co Cork on 28 October, presided over by Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford.

The court previously heard that on the evening of 12 September, Harding stole from the property of Mr Murnane on two occasions.

He first entered a shed in the back garden and stole tools belonging to Mr Murnane.

Harding then returned to Mr Murnane's home later that night and took more tools from the same shed.

Mr Murnane subsequently went outside to investigate a sound he had heard in his garage. Minutes later, Mr Murnane's wife found him seriously injured in the back garden.

The trial previously heard that Mr Murnane suffered blunt force trauma injuries to his face which caused an accelerated fall backwards on to the ground where he then fractured his skull.

Mr Murnane died at University Hospital Limerick on 14 September, two days after being found outside his home.

Senior Counsel for the prosecution Karl Finnegan previously told the jury that the central issue in the case was whether the evidence would establish that Mr Harding actually intended to kill or cause serious bodily harm to Mr Murnane.

Following the verdict, Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford thanked the jury, saying the last eight days had been a "difficult but important" trial.

A sentencing hearing has been set for 9 November, when victim impact statements will be heard.

Ms Justice Lankford said she will take time to consider the statements before deciding on a sentencing date.