Teenager sentenced for savage bashing murder of much-loved pensioner Richard Matthews

The teenager who murdered a much-loved pensioner in a savage bashing in Innisfail has been sentenced as the victim’s family broke their silence outside of court.

Kodi Matthews attended the court sentencing of a 17 year old boy who bashed his uncle Richard Matthews so severely that he later died from his injuries. Picture: Brendan Radke

The teenager who murdered a much-loved pensioner in a savage bashing in Innisfail in 2023 has been sentenced to 16 years detention.

Justice James Henry declared the crime “particularly heinous” because of its savagery and Richard “Murray Rivah” Matthews’ vulnerability, allowing Justice Henry to impose a sentence greater than the maximum 10 years that would otherwise apply to a juvenile sentenced for murder.

He said Mr Matthews, 63, was a pensioner with an obvious disability who walked “hunched over and hobbled over”.

Innisfail man Richard Matthews.

The court was told Mr Matthews was walking home after drinking a few pots with friends on April 10, 2023, when he crossed paths with the teenager, 17 at the time, less than 150m from his home. The boy, now 19, said he “reacted” when Mr Matthews swore at him during a conversation.

Doctors who treated Mr Matthews described his injuries as a ‘massive obliteration of facial bones and sinuses’, and similar to what you would expect if someone was struck head-on by a car.

Mr Matthews survived for several months, during which time he was resuscitated twice, lost his sight, suffered seizures, multiple surgeries, and was intubated. He died on June 22, 2023.

Outside court, Mr Matthews’ nephew Kodi Matthews said the sentencing provided his family with some closure.

Kodi Matthews, outside the Cairns Supreme Court, after the sentencing of a teenager who murdered his uncle Richard Matthews, said he wished the ‘Adult Time Adult Crime’ provisions had been in place. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The sentence is what it is and the time is never enough, but I think it was probably the best we could hope for under the circumstances,” Mr Matthews said.

“It is just a shame the ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ wasn’t in place for this particular incident.

“I think the courts need to start treating these kids adequately because they’re out of control.

“I still can’t believe this kid was out... with some of the horrendous crimes he was getting charged with.”

Crown Prosecutor Michael Lehane had earlier told the court the boy was on probation at the time of the attack and had served some detention for a series of violent offences against his partner in 2021 and 2022, including holding a sword to his girlfriend’s chest, choking and headbutting her, punching and kicking her, and strangling her cat to death.

Crown Prosecutor Michael Lehane leaves the Cairns Supreme Court after the the sentencing of a teenager, 19, to 16 years detention for the savage murder of Richard Matthews in Innisfail on April 10, 2023, which he committed when he was 17. Picture: Brendan Radke

In his victim impact statement, read to the court during the sentencing, Kodi Matthews, said his uncle was loved in Innisfail and the teenager was “lucky the police found him first, and not some of the locals”.

“I still can’t fathom how one human being can do this to another person ... (my uncle) was a helpless old man who wouldn’t hurt a fly - a man that the whole community knew and loved,” he said.

Richard’s sister, Sandra Carroll, also made a victim impact statement, which was read to the court, and she said her family would never really recover.

“I struggle with the fact that you will be charged as a child for the attack due to your age at the time,” she wrote.

“I struggle to comprehend that you are old enough to get a licence but are still classified as a child, that you can leave home but are still classified as a child.

“Richard was robbed of a normal life because of his disabilities and disease, and he was robbed of his old age by you.”

Remembered by his community as a beloved Innisfail local, Richard Matthews died in June 2023, several months after a savage assault by a teenager on April 10

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Henry noted the boy’s exposure to violence early in life, the boy’s own violent criminal history, and Mr Richards’ family’s devastation at his death.

“This was not a once-off event of violence towards others ... it remains,community protection and safety are plainly relevant sentencing considerations in this case given your propensity to violence,” Justice Henry said.

The boy must serve at least 70 per cent of his sentence before he will be eligible for parole.

Originally published as Teenager sentenced for savage bashing murder of much-loved pensioner Richard Matthews