Harrison Hilton-Taylor: accused murderer laughs, pokes tongue in court

The man charged with murdering Spiros Filidis while he was walking to catch the bus in Hampton East laughed and stuck his tongue out during his first court appearance.

Harrison Hilton-Taylor (left) was charged with murdering a man in Hampton East on January 2. Picture: Facebook

A man charged with murder over an alleged random attack in Melbourne’s southeast laughed and stuck his tongue out as he fronted court for the first time.

Harrison Hilton-Taylor, 27, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged over the fatal stabbing of Spiros Filidis, 46, who was killed as he walked to catch a bus in Hampton East on Tuesday.

Investigators believe the alleged attack was random and there were no links between Mr Hilton-Taylor and Mr Filidis.

The court heard Mr Hilton-Taylor, from Moorabbin, was living with a schizoaffective disorder which he was treated for with medication.

His lawyer said needed to be seen by a custody nurse.

Harrison Hilton-Taylor (left) was charged with murdering a man in Hampton East on January 2. Picture: Facebook

Harrison Hilton-Taylor will reappear in court later this year Picture: Facebook

Handcuffed and wearing a white vest and black shirt, Mr Hilton-Taylor beamed into court via video link from Melbourne Assessment Prison.

He laughed and poked his tongue out as magistrate Phillip Goldberg dealt with media applications.

No details of the alleged murder were aired during the brief administrative hearing.

Prosecutor Connor Rattray requested 12 weeks to prepare the hand-up brief, six weeks longer than the usual allocation, to allow time for forensic analysis and CCTV to be processed and reviewed.

A hand-up brief contains evidence used by prosecutors including procedural documents, statements and photos.

Hampton East murder victim Spiros Filidis

Mr Hilton-Taylor was arrested in Moorabbin on Tuesday afternoon for unrelated offending.

He was remanded to reappear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on May 9.

Mr Filidis, who had been walking to catch a bus for an outing at Southland, was found seriously injured at the corner of Little Ave and Widdop Crescent in Hampton East about 12.30pm on Tuesday.

Emergency services tried to revive him but he sadly died at the scene.

Police officers were called following reports an injured man was found on the side of the road, at the corner of Little Avenue and Widdop Crescent. Picture: Josie Hayden

Shocked family members said Mr Filidis was a gentle man who had twice beaten cancer over the years and lived with an intellectual disability.

His devastated sister, Eve, said he had the “greatest love for life” as she struggled to come to terms with the loss of her brother.

“Our beloved Spiros was a beautiful soul who touched the lives of all who knew him,” she said.

“His kindness and gentleness brought much light into our lives and the world.

“His warmth, generosity and lovingly humorous nature was unlike any other. He had the greatest love for life, always living each moment to the fullest.

“His presence lit up the room, wherever he went. Our hearts are broken. He will be forever lovingly missed.”

His godmother Christine Kounelis said he was the life of the party and would hurt no one.

“He wouldn’t fight back. He wouldn’t have known how to,” she told Seven News.

“I still don’t believe it. I still don’t want to believe it.”

Stef, who was walking his dogs in the area on Tuesday, said he saw the deceased man laying partly on the road and nature strip as emergency crews arrived.

“I saw two police officers attending to a person who was lying face down with his torso on the road and from the waist down he was on the nature strip,” he told the Herald Sun.

“There was a lady there as well … I assume she was the one who found the person and alerted emergency services.

“The paramedics attended to the person and with the help of the police, they dragged him onto the road to perform CPR.

“Due to the height of the nature strip there – and because the person’s feet were near a driveway crossing – I thought the person had tripped and landed awkwardly and knocked themselves out.

“When the police and paramedics turned him over and laid him onto his back on the road there were no visible injuries and no visible blood stains on him or around him that I could see.”

Victoria Police believe Mr Filidis was intending to catch the 708 bus from a stop on Bluff Rd as they continued to piece together his movements before the daylight murder.

Mr Filidis was captured on CCTV footage approaching Bluff Rd from the west on Thorburn Avenue at 12.14pm on Tuesday.

Detective Inspector Dean Thomas from the Homicide Squad said while his thoughts were with the grieving family, detectives still needed to work out his movements prior to his death.

“If there is anyone who was travelling either north or south on Bluff Road or east or west on Widdop Crescent in Hampton East between 12 and 1pm on Tuesday who has dashcam footage or is yet to speak to police, please come forward,” he said.

“Any dashcam footage can also be uploaded directly via the Crime Stoppers website anonymously.

“Our thoughts are also with this man’s family at this devastating time and police will ensure they have access to all the appropriate support services.”