An investigation was launched into Hewitt’s death, which was referred to the coroner.
Coroner Bruce Hesketh said, in his findings released earlier this month, he had viewed the recording made by the detective.
“The footage displays the bull bellowing out his nose, being aggressive and breaking the ground with his feet.
“He began walking up and down the fence line and appeared to display its displeasure toward Detective De Villiers.”
Hewitt’s body had been discovered at the base of the garden gate in a paddock adjacent to the house owned by his brother and his wife.
The couple ran livestock on the 17-acre lifestyle block, which at the time included around 20 beef cattle.
Brian noticed a willow branch (stick) near his brother’s body, which made him think Hewitt had been down the back of the block and in a paddock where there was stock because that was where the willow trees were.
On March 20, Brian accompanied police officers down to the bottom paddock which is where Hewitt’s Hunting and Fishing cap along with his broken glasses were discovered.
There was a faint wound about 70mm on the right-side of Hewitt’s face and there was dirt on both his forearms and another wound just above the right elbow, the coroner detailed.
Both hands were also dirty and Hewitt’s clothes had some faecal-like material on the back of the shirt and some other marks.
A post-mortem examination showed Hewitt suffered severe chest trauma with fractured ribs bilaterally anteriorly and posteriorly, fractured upper sternum and fractured upper and lower thoracic vertebrae.
Hesketh said the cause of Hewitt’s death was multiple traumatic injuries.
“These injuries were consistent with being inflicted by a wild bull.”
He noted Hewitt had been admitted to the Mental Health Inpatient Unit at Southland Hospital earlier in March but responded well to medication and was later, after no issues being recorded, granted unescorted leave.
Hewitt, who had no previous history with Mental Health Services, described his leave as “wonderful” and was very positive about his plans for the weekend.
He was described as being a hard worker throughout his life with his most recent job at a freezing works but had experience being around animals, previously having worked in farming and mustering wild animals as well as working on oil rigs.
Hewitt had called his brother David, on the day of his death, asking if he wanted to go floundering but he wasn’t able to.
David, however, told Hewitt he and Brian had been out rabbit shooting the night before and there were three carcasses left in the paddock where the willow trees were.
Fond of eating rabbit, Hewitt had gone to pick them up.
While shooting rabbits, David told the coroner a bull, which he referred to by the name of “snotty”, due to his bad temperament, had been snorting and advancing on the men.
Brian confirmed “snotty” was Big Boy and he had got very close to the men while they were rabbit hunting.
“‘Big Boy’ moved right up and was leaning right over the fence puffing and snorting at them,” Hesketh said.
Brian and Lynette left home about 11.30am on March 17 and were out for most of the day before returning at 7.30pm, when they noticed Hewitt’s truck parked at the front of their garage.
Hesketh said he was satisfied Hewitt was experienced in dealing with aggressive cattle and his death was accidental.
“On this occasion, he made an unfortunate error in not positioning himself closer to the fallen willow trees which would have provided him a safe exit zone when the cattle advanced toward him.”
Leighton Keith joined NZME as an Open Justice reporter based in Whanganui in 2022. He’s been a journalist for 20 years covering a variety of topics and rounds.
