Tom Niland died from complications of blunt force trauma to the head, inquest told

Tom Niland was taken to Sligo University Hospital in January 2022 where he remained in ICU on a ventilator, paralysed from the neck down and unable to walk or talk. He died there on September 30, 2023.

A Sligo pensioner died from complications of blunt force trauma to the head some 18 months after a violent incident at his home.

Inspector Pat Harney told Sligo Coroner’s Court heard on Monday morning that on January 18, 2022, gardaí got a call of a burglary at Doonflynn, Skreen in west Sligo and that 75-year-old Tom Niland had been found “severely injured by neighbours.” 

The retired farmer was taken to Sligo University Hospital where he remained in ICU on a ventilator, paralysed from the neck down and unable to walk or talk. He died there on September 30, 2023.

Inspector Harney said that as a result of the Garda investigation, which involved a “large number of statements, searches done and telephone data reviewed”, three individuals had been charged in connection with the incident.

“This investigation is ongoing,” he told coroner Fergal Kelly and applied for an adjournment of the inquest pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.

Mr Kelly consented to the adjournment and read out evidence of Mr Niland’s cause of death from State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers’ report, which stated his cause of death as “complications of blunt force trauma to the head.” 

Mr Niland’s cousin, Michael Walsh was present in court for the hearing.

Francis Harman, aged 56, of Nephin Court, Killala Road, Ballina, Co Mayo; John Clarke, aged 35, of Carrowkelly, Ballina, Co Mayo and John Irving, aged 30, of Shanwar, Foxford, Co Mayo, are all charged with aggravated burglary with a knife, assault causing serious harm and the false imprisonment of Tom Niland at Doonflynn, Skreen on January 18, 2022.

Harman and Clarke both pleaded guilty to the charge of assault causing serious harm at a hearing in Dublin on May 25 last year and were remanded in custody on the other two charges.

The three men had been due to stand trial on October 3, 2023, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court but this was adjourned. The defendants have been in custody since their arrest on March 9, 2022.