Matthew Linton jailed for eight years for manslaughter of Outlaws bikie Sean Trigg
By Peta Carlyon
Sean Trigg's father John said his son's death had nothing to do with being a member of the Outlaw motorcycle club.
ABC News: Peta CarlyonMatthew Linton, 36, stabbed Mr Trigg 18 times when Mr Trigg intervened in a household dispute in June, 2014.
Supreme Court Justice Helen Wood said she found the number of stab wounds Linton inflicted on Mr Trigg "excessive".
The court heard Linton stabbed the father-of-three 10 times after inflicting the fatal blows, after he had collapsed on the kitchen floor.
"The defendant did not voluntarily desist from his violence, even when Mr Trigg was gravely injured," Justice Wood said.
"Other emotions were at play... anger, outrage or plain revenge and contempt."
Justice Wood said she found Linton's "gratuitous violence" an aggravating factor in Mr Trigg's killing, and told Linton he had shown "a complete lack of remorse".
"Your conduct was callous for Mr Trigg... who was completely vulnerable and in a pitiful state," she said.
The court heard Linton's reaction to police when they arrived at his home was: "Why are you cautioning me? I've done nothing wrong. I hope I killed him. I hope I f*****g killed him."
When Linton was informed of Mr Trigg's death at the hospital, he said it was "a good f*****g thing," the court heard.
Justice Wood said she accepted Linton had been "left angry and humiliated" by an earlier altercation with Mr Trigg at the Outlaws clubhouse in Bridgewater.
The court heard Mr Trigg assaulted Linton at the clubhouse after learning he had been hitting his partner.
When he burst into Linton's house later that night, Mr Trigg had heard her screams after Linton struck her again, in the street.
Justice Wood said Mr Trigg's family, including his parents, had been left "devastated" by his death.
"They are haunted by visions of how their son was killed and how senseless and avoidable it was," she said.
Father wants son remembered as defender
Outside court, Mr Trigg's father John Trigg said his son should be remembered for his actions on the day.
"Sean lost his life going to the aid of a woman who was being subjected to domestic violence," he said.
"His death had nothing to do with his membership of the Outlaws motorcycle club.
"This was made clear to us by the investigating police, the DPP, and four weeks of Supreme Court hearings."
Mr Trigg said he did not want to comment on the length of the sentence for his son's killer.
"We have to respect the court's outcome and we respect greatly Justice Wood," he said.
A number of Outlaws members were in court for the sentence, and one member lashed out verbally at Linton as he left the dock.
"To the Outlaws motorcycle cub, their members have been wonderful to us and continue to be," Mr Trigg said.
Linton, from Bridgewater, north of Hobart, will serve a minimum term of five years in prison.
He was jailed for an additional three months for assaulting his partner.