Adam Tory Bennett faces manslaughter sentencing submissions after manslaughter of Peter Hillier

The family of Peter Hillier have pleaded for a court to hand down the harshest possible penalty for the carer who killed him.

The Art Gallery at Poochera on Eyre Peninsulawhere Peter Hillier died. Picture: SA Police

Grieving family members have detailed the “immense” loss and “terrible suffering” they feel at losing their relative in a drunken bashing at the hands of his carer, while prison calls have revealed the attacker claimed he was innocent, a court has heard.

Adam Tory Bennett, 45, appeared in the District Court on Monday to hear sentencing submissions after he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Peter Hillier, 64, while the pair were travelling on the Eyre Peninsula in May 2022.

He was standing trial accused of murdering Mr Hillier behind Dusty’s Art Gallery at Poochera, but the trial was aborted when prosecutors accepted his plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Peter Hillier. Picture: Supplied by family

Mr Hillier’s daughter Jade Ieru told the court her father was “a very kind, caring and eccentric person” with a “warm, kind and generous nature”.

She asked the court to play recorded messages her father had left on her phone in 2020. In those messages, he could be heard saying he was checking in, and loved his family “lots”.

She said that despite some years passing when she did not have contact with her father, the “impact of his loss has been immense”.

“I will forever regret that I did not do more to protect him and make sure that he was okay,” Ms Ieru said.

“The heartbreak of knowing that I will never hug my dad again and tell him that I loved him was overwhelming.

“I am sad that I will never hear him tell a joke again, hear him laugh again and that I will never hear his kind voice again.”

Mr Hillier’s niece, Tanya Harvey, told the court her uncle was “kind, funny, thoughtful, compassionate, loving, caring – and that infectious laugh”.

“All of these things I will love about you Pete – and all of these things I will miss about you,” she said.

“I loved your crazy and wonderful big ideas.”

She said she was “sorry” she was not able to protect him from Bennett and “the horrible end” of his life.

She said was devastated no-one will be able to “wrap our arms around” Mr Hillier and tell him how much he was loved.

Ms Harvey said Bennett had inflicted “terrible suffering” on her uncle and his relatives.

“I’m angry that (Mr Hillier) will not be able to live out your natural life in peace and happiness – the way it should be.”

Ms Harvey said she was also angry at Bennett who she said was more interested in “covering his own arse than getting (Mr Hillier) the medical care that could have saved (his) life”.

She told Bennett he, as Mr Hillier’s legal carer, had taken advantage of her “vulnerable, physically disable and mentally unwell” elderly uncle.

Ms Harvey, and Mr Hillier’s sister Sue Gray, asked the court to impose the toughest penalty possible on Bennett.

Patrick Hill, prosecuting, told the court Bennett had continued to claim Mr Hillier’s death was “not his f — king fault” in calls from prison to a friend.

He said call transcripts showed Bennett had claimed his attack on Mr Hillier “was self-defence”.

During the trial, the court heard Bennett had bashed Mr Hillier to death in a “drunken rage” after they had been drinking with Ronald Miller, who owned the art gallery, for several hours.

The court had heard Bennett had straddled and ground a rock into Mr Hillier’s face and had attempted to lift him into their motorhome. Prosectors had also alleged Bennett then told “spectacular lies” to emergency services workers in a call the following morning.

Mr Hill said Bennett was “at all times the aggressor” and that by his plea, Bennett admitted he had caused Mr Hillier’s death.

David Moen, for Mr Bennett, said his client apologised for his actions in killing Mr Hillier, who he saw as a father figure, “unreservedly”.

“He is riddled with guilt and pain,” Mr Moen said.

He said Bennett had overreacted after the men had argued and said his reaction during their arguement “went beyond what was a natural response”.

He explained he had changed Mr Hillier’s clothes after bashing in “an act of kindness” because it had been raining.

Bennett will return to court next month for a further submissions hearing.