Killer gets life behind bars
KEVIN Patrick Hanley will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a jury yesterday found him guilty of murdering Matthew Morcus in Cypress Gardens in 2016.
The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for almost four hours yesterday afternoon before delivering a verdict of guilty to murder, though they were also asked to consider the charge of manslaughter.
Justice Martin Burns sentenced the 71-year-old grandfather to life in jail, describing Hanley’s shooting of the 46year-old man after an earlier altercation between the two men at the Millmerran Bowls Club earlier that day as a “senseless act”.
“It may be that you were angry about what happened earlier but it is more likely in my view you felt insulted and resented being called an old man (by the deceased),” he said.
“You raised the rifle, aimed it at Mr Morcus and fired.
“I accept when you stepped in the doorway you had no intention to kill, but I think its probable you reacted to what Mr Morcus said to you, lost control, raised the rifle and fired it.”
During the five-day trial in the Supreme Court, the jury heard Hanley arrived at the home armed with a .22 calibre rifle during an argument between Mr Morcus and his girlfriend Rachel Binns.
Under cross examination, Hanley said he never shot Mr Morcus and that the victim had grabbed the gun before it discharged.
A firearms expert had testified that the gun needed 1.3kg of force before it would fire.
Justice Burns, in sentencing Hanley, said he had lied to police and lied in evidence he gave to the court but did express remorse to the victim’s father when confronted.
His defence barrister Michael Copley submitted his client had some good aspects given the support of his family throughout the court case.
“Although he has gone to trial...on a moral level my client was remorseful and upset about what he did to his friend’s son,” Mr Copley said.
In a victim impact statement tendered to the court, Mr Morcus’ mother said she could not bring herself to speak Hanley’s name.
“I am close to tears just thinking about it,” she said.
“The devastation he has caused in taking my son’s life, this man needs to be held accountable for his actions.”
Matther Morcus’ father Alf also tendered a victim impact statement, revealing his health had suffered as a result of the incident between his son and the man he described as “a mate”.
“As far as I’m concerned I’ve got no malice (toward Hanley) I’ve lost a son and (if sentenced to life) I’ve lost a good friend in Kevin,” he said.