The family of Timothy 'Teddy' Murnane, the 80-year-old Tipperary pensioner killed during a burglary at his home, has told a sentencing hearing that his violent death has left a huge void in their lives. Sean Harding, 31, of Marian Terrace in Tipperary Town, was convicted last week of Mr Murnane's manslaughter and will be sentenced on 14 December.
Murnane died after an attack at his home at St Michael's Avenue in Tipperary Town on 12 September 2025. Harding was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and had pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary, two at St Michael's Avenue on the night of the killing and a third at another address on the same street, according to RTE.ie.
What the family told the court
Victim impact statements were read to the Central Criminal Court by prosecution Senior Counsel Karl Finnegan. Patrick Murnane, the dead man's son, described finding his father on the night of the attack as the hardest day of his life. He said his father had worked hard to support his family financially and emotionally, until a criminal took it all away.
His brother Timothy, who lives in Canada, said what was taken from the family could not be measured. He described plans for his parents to surprise him with a visit at Christmas 2025, which became the saddest Christmas he could imagine. He said he now struggles with stress and a sleep disorder, and has paused his career indefinitely.
I get distracted by the deep sorrow and outrage of that night, he said.
Timothy Murnane also said his father was robbed of the chance to meet his first great grandchild, a baby girl due in December. He said he still picks up the phone to call his father to talk about his day or about hurling.
A family living with fear
Rachel Murnane said her sense of safety had completely changed since her father's death. The family home where the killing happened now has security cameras, but it no longer feels like a place of security, she said.
She described how ordinary activities have become difficult. If she goes for a run and there is nobody else around, she turns and leaves. She said she struggles to come to terms with the fear her father must have felt before he was killed, and that the injuries he sustained haunt her every night before she sleeps.
She said Christmas would never be the same for the family and had become a painful reminder of his absence.
The prosecution's case on sentence
Prosecution counsel Karl Finnegan told Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford that the appropriate headline sentence was between 10 and 15 years, towards the higher end of that range. He said the manslaughter occurred during a burglary at Mr Murnane's own home, and that there was no question of provocation from Mr Murnane or self defence from Harding.
He highlighted Mr Murnane's multiple injuries to the head, saying this was not a one punch fatality. He also pointed to Mr Murnane's attempts to defend himself and the disparity in ages between the two men: Harding was 31 and Murnane was 80.
The Irish Times reported that Harding initially pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter, along with the three burglaries on the same day.
What the defence argued
Defence Senior Counsel Dean Kelly accepted his client's culpability was high but argued the sentence should sit towards the medium or lower end of the range. He described the case as in effect an assault manslaughter, saying Harding had not armed himself with a weapon despite every opportunity to do so, and that there was no previous history of violence towards Mr Murnane.
Of Harding's 141 previous convictions, one was for a section two assault.
Kelly said Harding was the black sheep of a law abiding family, with drug addiction problems since the age of 15. He relapsed after his own father died in 2024 and used drugs destructively throughout 2025.
The court heard Harding has transformed himself in custody. He has a perfect disciplinary record in Limerick Prison, works as a cleaner, attends counselling and plans to pursue an education. Kelly said Harding now faces the prospect of watching his own children grow up from a great distance.
The Irish Examiner reported that members of the dead man's family spoke of their heartbreak at the hearing, with his son Patrick saying he would never have an ounce of forgiveness for Harding, words also carried in a report by The Irish Times.
Why this case matters
An 80-year-old man, in good health, killed in his own home in a town he lived in all his life. The family had expected many more years with him. Instead they are left with camera systems, fear and a Christmas that will never feel the same.
Timothy Murnane also told the court the family fears Harding's eventual release, because his own mother lives close to Harding's family.
Justice Lankford adjourned sentencing until 14 December.
FAQ
Who was convicted of Timothy Murnane's manslaughter?
Sean Harding, 31, of Marian Terrace in Tipperary Town, was found guilty of manslaughter on 12 September 2025 at St Michael's Avenue. He was acquitted of murder.
When will Sean Harding be sentenced?
Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford adjourned the case until 14 December, when Harding is due to be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court.
What sentence has the prosecution asked for?
Prosecution counsel Karl Finnegan submitted that the appropriate headline sentence is between 10 and 15 years, towards the higher end of that range.