Adam Troy Bennett sentenced to 13 years in jail for manslaughter bashing of Peter Hillier on Eyre Peninsula

A killer carer who drunkenly resorted to violence “quickly and explosively” during an argument with his travelling companion has been sentenced for manslaughter.

A killer carer who inflicted a “senseless, savage beating on an older, weaker and infirm man” has been jailed for more than 10 years.

Adam Troy Bennett, 45, bashed his travelling companion, Peter Hillier, 64, to death at Poochera on May 29, 2022 before driving him back to their rented holiday shack at Venus Bay, on the Eyre Peninsula.

In sentencing, Supreme Court Justice Sandi McDonald said Bennett had failed to seek immediate medical care for Mr Hillier, leaving it until the following morning to call triple-0 and telling a number of “deliberate lies”.

His lies continued to ambulance officers, police and a general store owner and included claiming he twice offered to take Mr Hillier to hospital and that the offers were refused.

Peter Hillier was killed in a violent bashing by his travelling companion Adam Troy Bennett on the Eyre Peninsula in May 2022. Picture: Supplied by family.

“The tragic fact of the matter is that had you done what you claimed and taken Mr Hillier to hospital … his death may well have been prevented,” Justice McDonald said.

She said Bennett had beaten Mr Hillier “to death”.

“It involved a senseless, savage beating of an older, weaker and infirm man who was dependent on you for his care.

“You resorted to violence quickly and explosively.

Justice McDonald said Bennett’s behaviour after the assault had “deprived Mr Hillier of any opportunity to survive that assault”.

“It is unknown what effect medical treatment would have had at any stage of these events,” she said.

“What is clear is had there been any hope, by your conduct, you vanquished it.”

Justice McDonald said Bennett was highly intoxicated – and drinking between 2-3 bottles of whiskey each day – at the time of the attack.

Police at an old art gallery at Poochera that was identified as the scene where Mr Hillier was beaten. Picture: SA Police

She said he had drunkenly bashed Mr Hillier after an argument about leaving the Poochera art gallery where the pair were meeting with the owner to discuss purchasing the property.

Bennett also tried to manhandle Mr Hillier back into their motorhome and screwed a rock into his face, before driving him back to Venus Bay.

He changed Mr Hillier’s clothes, put him on a sofa to sleep before showering and going to bed. He did not call for help until he walked to use the phone at the general store the following morning.

Mr Hillier could not be revived. His cause of death was a blunt force head injury. He also had multiple other injuries including fractured ribs. Justice McDonald said there would never be adequate words to describe the loss of Mr Hillier, whose death had left his family heartbroken.

The court heard the pair met at a bushfire shelter in New South Wales in 2019 and Bennett became a carer for Mr Hillier, who suffered a number of medical conditions.

Justice McDonald said that despite Bennett being a carer for Mr Hillier, their relationship was “not a healthy one”, and they had both had demons which they self-medicated with alcohol.

The campervan that Peter Hillier and Adam Bennett were travelling around Australia in. Picture: SA Police

Bennett pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter midway through a murder trial in August 2023 after the art gallery owner did not give the expected evidence.

Justice McDonald imposed a head sentence of 13 years and set a non-parole period of 10 years and five months.

In a statement released after the sentence was handed down Mr Hillier’s family said they were “relieved that the court process has now concluded for us”.

“Though we are satisfied with the outcome, the sadness of losing our dear Peter will be with us always.”

Mr Hillier’s family also thanked police and prosecutors for their support and empathy throughout the court process and Justice McDonald for her “detailed and accurate” remarks.

“We feel the impact on our family in her judgment was heard and acknowledged,” they said.