Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Ōpōtiki manslaughter: Harry Clement Matchitt jailed over fatal beating of Brian Albert Hilton

Sandra Conchie
By Sandra Conchie
Multimedia Journalist, Bay of Plenty Times·Bay of Plenty Times·
14 Oct, 2021 07:00 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Harry Clement Matchitt was sentenced in the Rotorua High Court on October 14. Photo / NZME

Harry Clement Matchitt was sentenced in the Rotorua High Court on October 14. Photo / NZME

An Ōpōtiki man found guilty of the manslaughter killing of his 77-year-old friend Brian Albert Hilton five years ago has been jailed for more than seven years.

Justice Kit Toogood said Harry Clement Matchitt brutally beat Hilton, who was just 49kgs, and "callously left him for dead" critically injured on the floor of his Ōpōtiki home on July 7, 2016.

Hilton was found deeply unconscious lying in the lounge the next day and died in Tauranga Hospital on July 13, 2016.

Toogood, who sentenced Matchitt, 54, in the Rotorua High Court today told him that it was "extremely fortunate" he was not convicted of murder.

"You were a guest in Mr Hilton's home and had a few drinks together and then for reasons which are not clear you beat him violently around the head," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"You struck Mr Hilton several times with such force as to cause fractures to his facial bones, both eye sockets, his nose and an injury behind his right ear.

"The injuries were so severe that parts of his face, jaw and nose were no longer connected to his skull...The force used was the kind seen in high trauma incidents such as motor vehicle accidents," he said.

Toogood also said there was no evidence at Matchitt's jury trial in the Tauranga High Court in July this year that the attack had been provoked by Hilton.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Crown's case was that a "drunken and angry" Matchitt inflicted blows to Hilton's head, face, neck and chest. His DNA was found at Hilton's house on one of the beer bottles.

The defence argued it was not Matchitt seen on security camera footage entering Hilton's home on the evening of July 7 and leaving about an hour later.

Discover more

Jury considering verdict in Ōpōtiki murder trial sent home for the night

12 Jul 01:30 AM

Murder trial: 'Burglary gone wrong' by another man, defence says

11 Jul 06:08 AM

Murder accused told police he 'probably' assaulted deceased

08 Jul 10:22 PM

Murder trial: Victim suffered 'multiple blunt force impacts'

08 Jul 05:00 AM

Matchitt told the jury he visited his "good friend" Brian Hilton earlier that day and had a drink with him, but insisted they never argued or got into a physical altercation.

His lawyer, Roger Gowing, argued at the trial that Hilton's assault was more likely a "burglary gone wrong" committed by another man known to have conflicts with Hilton.

Toogood sentenced Matchitt to seven years and nine months' prison and imposed a minimum non-parole period of three years and nine months.

Toogood said he had taken into account Matchitt's 177 prior convictions, many for drink driving, and violent offences, and he already served 64 sentences of imprisonment.

"There is no doubt that the combination of your addiction to alcohol and violent temper has led you to use your fists far too often."

Matchitt was a long-term user of cannabis and had used other drugs.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Toogood said he also took into account Matchitt's deprived upbringing from a young age and was subjected to sustained periods of physical abuse and mistreatment.

The long-term impacts of head injuries Matchitt suffered as a result of assaults and a motor vehicle accident had not been fully assessed, he said.

While Matchitt denied his offending and had shown no remorse, he expressed a wish to make changes to become a better person and "an example to younger people", he said.

Toogood directed reports on Matchitt be made available to the Department of Corrections so that he might undertake appropriate rehabilitation treatments.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Hannah Cross embraces creativity for Miss Universe NZ finale

20 Jun 03:00 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

'Stars in the sky': Matariki ceremony cherishes those passed

20 Jun 01:45 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Why a journalist roleplayed a rescue victim with Bay of Plenty’s Civil Defence team

20 Jun 12:00 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Hannah Cross embraces creativity for Miss Universe NZ finale

Hannah Cross embraces creativity for Miss Universe NZ finale

20 Jun 03:00 AM

She repurposes op-shop gowns to highlight her creative skills and sustainable fashion.

'Stars in the sky': Matariki ceremony cherishes those passed

'Stars in the sky': Matariki ceremony cherishes those passed

20 Jun 01:45 AM
Why a journalist roleplayed a rescue victim with Bay of Plenty’s Civil Defence team

Why a journalist roleplayed a rescue victim with Bay of Plenty’s Civil Defence team

20 Jun 12:00 AM
Why a 'cute' pet is now included in a pest management plan

Why a 'cute' pet is now included in a pest management plan

19 Jun 10:00 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP