John Edward Tilly Griffin jailed for more than nine years for killing Port Neill pensioner Gary Robinson

This man brutally stomped on a pensioner with steelcap boots before covering his lifeless body in birdseed, hundreds and thousands and shampoo.

A killer is behind bars after he covered a pensioner’s lifeless body in birdseed, hundreds and thousands and shampoo to humiliate him.

John Edward Tilly Griffin was jailed for over nine years after he had a vague memory of brutally bashing 65 year old Gary Robinson to death at Port Neill in 2022.

During sentencing on Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard Mr Robinson’s behaviour had caused him to be in conflict with a number of people in the Port Neill community.

As a result, Mr Robinson, who lived in a caravan on a farm owned by Griffin’s uncle, was asked to leave.

On the day of the incident, Griffin, who was living on the same farming property as Mr Robinson, attended his caravan.

John Griffin was jailed for nine years for manslaughter. Picture: Facebook

“A fight ensued and you threw the first punch,” Justice Sandi McDonald said.

Mr Robinson retreated inside his caravan, followed by Griffin.

The court heard Mr Robinson allegedly brandished a knife at Griffin, and made a thrusting motion towards him.

“It was in those circumstances that you formed the view that it was necessary and reasonable to attack Mr Robinson in order to avoid being stabbed by him,” Justice McDonald said.

Mr Robinson fell to the caravan’s floor after being attacked, at which point Griffin repeatedly kicked him and stomped on his chest and head.

“At the time of the offence it was likely that you were wearing steelcap boots as this was the footwear you normally wore around the farm,” Justice McDonald said.

The court heard Griffin then left, believing Mr Robinson was still alive as he heard faint moaning sounds.

Mr Robinson was discovered by Griffin’s father on September 3, 2022, and it was apparent he had been dead for some time.

Major crime speaking to neighbouring properties at Port Neill, South Australia, after a man was found dead in a caravan on a property. Picture: Todd Lewis

The scene at Port Neill, South Australia. Picture: Todd Lewis

“He had been covered with shampoo, bird seed and hundreds of thousands and had a small knife in his right hand,” Justice McDonald said.

“You said the reason you engaged in this conduct was so that Mr Robinson would feel humiliated when he came to.”

Griffin, 30, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and a charge of murder was dropped as a result.

In her victim impact statement presented to the court, Mr Robinson’s daughter said her father’s death had “killed the person I used to be as well”.

“My daughters are so used to me crying now that they don’t ask me why I’m crying, they just hug me and say ‘you have us mum’,” she said.

“I am no longer the happy, carefree mum – they will never remember my dad, and they will never remember the mum I used to be before he was murdered.”

The court heard Griffin’s life had been plagued by drug and alcohol addictions and he had a violent criminal history, including attacking a man with a knife after he found him in bed with his girlfriend.

Justice McDonald sentenced Griffin to nine years and four months jail, with a non-parole period of seven years and five months.

The sentence was backdated to September 3, 2022.

Originally published as John Edward Tilly Griffin jailed for more than nine years for killing Port Neill pensioner Gary Robinson