Mathew Hawkins, 29, jailed in Supreme Court after killing Luke Sweetman with punch to the head at Taperoo

A drugged-up thug has been sentenced after punching an innocent man in a pub carpark, leaving him to die in “a pool of blood” after his head “cracked” open.

A drugged-up thug has been jailed after killing a “beautiful” young man with a single punch to the head outside a Taperoo pub last year.

Luke Sweetman, 35, instantly fell to the bitumen after the attack – with a court told bystanders heard “a loud crack” as his head hit the car park of the Peninsula Hotel Motel.

His killer, Mathew Hawkins, 29, of Exeter, “cowardly” fled the scene – leaving gifted IT specialist Mr Sweetman to die in “a pool of blood”, the Supreme Court heard during sentencing on Thursday.

Luke Sweetman, of Panorama, pictured with his sister Laura. Picture: Supplied.

Luke and Laura celebrating Christmas together. Picture: Supplied

“You immediately and quickly moved towards Mr Sweetman who was retreating from you, and you punched him,” the Honourable Justice Laura Stein said.

“He fell straight back onto the bitumen and you moved away, and immediately left the area.

“Mr Sweetman was not provoking you in any way and did not pose a threat. He was trying to get away from you and you pursued him – punching him over a trivial pursuit.”

Mr Sweetman, of Panorama, had been invited to the Peninsula Hotel Motel on August 9, 2024, by his best friend to listen to Australian band KissJovi perform live.

CCTV shows the two men laughing and smiling while talking to bar staff just after midnight on August 10.

About five minutes later, it then shows an altercation between Mr Sweetman and Hawkins in the hotel lobby, and Hawkins’ father restraining his son outside the pub.

Mathew Hawkins, in the red-checked shirt. Picture: Supreme Court

Luke Sweetman (left) is confronted by Hawkins (red shirt) as he’s restrained by his dad (centre). Picture: Supreme Court

Hawkins “broke away” from his dad’s restraint and approached Mr Sweetman who was “minding his own business. Picture: Supreme Court

Seconds after this moment, Hawkins delivered the fatal blow. Picture: Supreme Court

Hawkins, 29, had a “cocktail” of drugs inside his system – including cocaine, cannabis, alcohol and painkillers – when he “suddenly and violently” confronted Mr Sweetman, a court heard earlier this month.

The single punch was “delivered without any immediate provocation or threat posed by the victim”, prosecutor Kos Lesses submitted.

Mr Sweetman, he said, “was literally standing around near the entrance to the hotel”.

Outside court on Thursday, Mr Sweetman’s mother Marion said Hawkins was “totally evil”.

Marion Sweetman with her daughter Laura speaking to media. Picture: Dean Martin

“My son Luke doesn’t even know how to physically fight to defend himself. My son Luke would stay right away from any of this, as it would frighten my son Luke even if he heard of physically fighting on the news. My son Luke has never been in a physical fight in all his life.

“I watched my young innocent son Luke dying in immense suffering for 13 days in hospital.”

“Are we in times now where all young innocent men and young innocent women of Australia now need to learn self-defence?”

Hawkins was sentenced to six years and four months in jail, with a non-parole period of five years and one month.

Mr Sweetman’s sister Laura told media she had hoped “at least 12 years” in jail.