Three men jailed for manslaughter of Tom Niland

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Three men who attacked and robbed Tom Niland in his Sligo home were sentenced for manslaughter. John Irving received 16 years, with the final year suspended; Francis Harman and John Clarke each received 15 years, with the final year suspended. The sentences are to be backdated to when they first entered custody.

The judge described the killing as unlawful and savage, and said Niland had been targeted because he was elderly and lived alone. He said Niland’s family had endured real suffering after witnessing the aftermath of the attack.

The court heard that Niland died in 2023, 20 months after the attack. Irving had pleaded guilty during his trial, while Harman and Clarke had pleaded guilty before it began.