Murder trial: wife prayed over dying husband (80) found bleeding outside Tipperary home

Sean Harding (32) is on trial for the murder of Teddy Murnane, 80, who was found unconscious and bleeding at his Tipperary home during an alleged burglary.

Wife found husband unconscious and bleeding outside garage during suspected break-in

Margaret Murnane told a murder trial that she prayed over her husband Teddy as he lay unresponsive and bloodied on the ground outside their home in St Michael's Avenue, Tipperary town, according to the Irish Independent.

The 80-year-old, Timothy 'Teddy' Murnane, had gone out to investigate a noise from the garage shortly after 9pm on 12 September 2025. When he did not return, his wife went to check on him.

"It was dark — I nearly fell over him — I looked down and he was lying on the ground, with his legs near the garage door," Mrs Murnane told the jury. "When I saw him on the ground, I said, 'What happened, why are you down there, why are you lying on the ground?' but I got no response whatsoever."

She described blood at the back of his head and blood coming from his mouth. She attempted to roll him onto his side but received no response. She then phoned her son Patrick to tell him his father had suffered a fall.

While on the call, she noticed the side door to the garage was open, the light was on inside, and a black bag she did not recognise was on the floor.

Son rushed to scene as ambulance was awaited

Patrick Murnane arrived at the family home shortly after the call. He contacted the emergency services and found his mother bent over his father, who remained unconscious on the ground.

"I went over immediately and his breathing was very laboured — I spoke to him in a loud voice to try and make contact but there was no response — he was bleeding from the head and at the time I presumed he had fallen," Patrick Murnane said.

He told the court that he began to suspect a burglary had taken place after spotting the open garage door, tools on the ground, and a black holdall bag. Mrs Murnane said it "felt like forever" waiting for the ambulance to arrive, during which time she said prayers for her husband.

Gardaí arrive to find suspected crime scene

Garda Colin Hanley told the jury that he and Sergeant Chris McGrath arrived at the scene at 10.30pm that same night. Garda Hanley noted the black holdall bag on the floor to the left of the garage door and tools scattered nearby. The area was cordoned off and declared a crime scene.

Gardaí subsequently obtained CCTV footage from a property in Marian Terrace. The footage showed a man, later identified as Sean Harding, walking in the direction of the Murnane home carrying a black bag at 9.34pm. He was captured on the same footage running back in the opposite direction, without the holdall, just two minutes later.

Accused pleads guilty to manslaughter and multiple burglaries

Harding, aged 32, of Marian Terrace, Tipperary town, is on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork, charged with the murder of Teddy Murnane. He denies murder but has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Murnane.

When arraigned, Harding also pleaded guilty to three burglary charges: two at the Murnane home on 11 and 12 September 2025, and a third unrelated burglary on the same evening as the fatal incident.

The trial, before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford and the jury, is expected to conclude well in advance of mid-November.

Source: Irish Independent