Ōpōtiki murder accused found guilty of manslaughter Tue, 13 Jul 2021, 1:31PM
A jury has found Harry Clements Matchitt not guilty of murder but guilty of Brian Hilton s manslaughter killing. (Photo / File)
Ōpōtiki murder accused found guilty of manslaughter Tue, 13 Jul 2021, 1:31PM
The jury in an Ōpōtiki murder trial has found Harry Clements Matchitt not guilty of murdering 77-year-old Brian Hilton who died five years ago today.
However, the jury instead found Matchitt, 54, guilty of the manslaughter assault of Brian Albert Hilton on the evening of July 7, 2016.
Matchitt s jury trial began in the High Court at Tauranga on July 5.
Scott Yeoman18:29, Jul 12 2021
Scott Yeoman/Stuff
Harry Clements Matchitt appeared in Tauranga High Court, charged with the murder of Brian Albert Hilton.
The jury has retired to consider their verdict in the trial of Harry Matchitt, the man accused of violently assaulting 77-year-old Brian Hilton five years ago in Ōpōtiki. Hilton was found lying on the floor of his home on the morning of July 8, 2016, with facial injuries. He was taken to Tauranga Hospital, where he later died on July 13. Police originally thought Hilton died after a fall at home but later received new information and reopened the investigation into his death.
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