Murder trial hears 80-year-old man suffered blunt force injuries

A MURDER TRIAL has heard that an 80-year-old Tipperary man suffered blunt force trauma injuries to his face which caused an accelerated fall backwards onto the ground where he then fractured his skull.

Sean Harding of Marian Terrace, Tipperary town, is on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork charged with the murder of Timothy (Teddy) Murnane.

The 32-year-old denies murder but has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Murnane at his home at St Michael’s Avenue in Tipperary town on 12 September 2025.

Harding has also pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary at the home of Murnane and to a third count of burglary in another house in the same area.

State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers carried out a postmortem examination on Murnane at University Hospital in Limerick on 16 September 2025.

The pensioner had died two days earlier following an incident at his home.

He had gone out the back to investigate a noise.

Okkers said in evidence today that the face of the deceased was swollen and bruised. His right eye was also bruised. There was evidence of tissue breakdown.

She stated that Murnane suffered multiple blunt force trauma injuries to his face.

She indicated that the injuries could not have been sustained from a fall backwards.

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“Bruising (to the face) is indicative of blunt force trauma with a fist or an object with a flat surface.”

Murnane looks to have suffered multiple blows to the face and head which accelerated his fall (backwards) to the ground”. 

“It caused an acceleration in his fall backwards and he sustained a linear fracture to the skull.”

The jury was told that Murnane suffered a haemorrhage. He never regained consciousness.

Dr Okkers said that if he did not receive the injuries to the front of his face, he might not have fallen.

She stated that the fatal injuries were consistent with a single fall backwards with the skull of Murnane forcibly striking the ground.

Under cross-examination by defence senior counsel Dean Kelly, Okkers said such an accelerated fall had an external source.

She also stated that Murnane had not suffered any fractures to his face, nose, jaw or neck.

The case will continue on Wednesday in front of the jury and Justice Siobhán Lankford.

Harding was a retired bus driver with Kavanagh Coaches.

He was laid to rest at St Michael’s cemetery in Tipperary town following a requiem mass at St Michael’s Church.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter, grandchildren, extended family and friends.