Matthew’s sister said: ‘We miss Matthew every single day. But his memory will always be with us, in our hearts, and in everything we do.’
A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of 44-year-old Matthew Phillips, Humberside Police said. Timothy Tinson, 43, of Lairgate in Beverley was charged with murder and denied involvement during an initial court hearing at Hull Magistrates Court in January.
He was remanded to appear at Hull Crown Court today (Monday, August 4), where he entered a guilty plea.
Humberside Police said that at around 1am on Saturday, January 4, officers were called to reports of a serious assault on Saturday Market in Beverley. At the scene, they found a man with a serious head injury and he was reportedly lying unconscious in the road.
Tinson was subsequently arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. A murder investigation was launched.
According to Humberside Police, during the late evening of Friday, 3 January, Tinson and Matthew, who knew each other through a mutual acquaintance, were present at a property on Lairgate when a verbal disagreement occurred and Tinson was asked to leave. Later that night Tinson and Matthew were involved in a verbal exchange which led to a physical confrontation, resulting in Matthew falling into the road. Tinson repeatedly applied force to Matthew’s head, leaving him unconscious.
Emergency services were deployed to the scene and Matthew was taken to hospital to receive medical treatment. Sadly, he died from his injuries a short while later.
Leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Leanne Murphy said: “Shortly after the attack, a local resident reported hearing loud thuds followed by shouting. When they opened their door, they found Matthew unconscious in the road with Tinson standing over him, making statements acknowledging his involvement.
“Tinson’s deliberate and violent actions that night tragically resulted in Matthew’s death. By pleading guilty today, he has finally accepted responsibility, helping to spare Matthew’s family the further pain of a prolonged trial process. I hope today’s plea provides his loved ones with a measure of comfort in knowing the person responsible will now face the consequences.
“I also want to thank the members of the public who offered assistance throughout the evening, providing crucial information that supported our investigation and ultimately led to detectives being able to stack up the evidence against Tinson. Information provided by the public to assist with this case was invaluable in ensuring that those responsible could be brought to justice, and we would always encourage people to report any concerns or suspicious activity to us, no matter how small, because your information could be the missing puzzle piece needed in the investigation.
“Violent crime will not be tolerated, and I would like this to be a stark warning to anyone who thinks it’s acceptable to unleash violence on our streets.”
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Matthew’s sister said: “Matthew was truly loved. His life meant everything to us. Since the 4 January, our world has fallen apart. The way Matthew died was so violent and cruel it’s impossible to make sense of.
“Our father passed away shortly after Matthew’s death, heartbroken. We believe the emotional impact of the fatal attack, and everything that followed, weighed heavily on him.
“We’re shattered. We’re hurting deeply and still trying to understand how this could have happened. What Tinson did didn’t just take Matthew’s life – it took away all his hopes, dreams, and the future we thought we’d have with him. That future is now gone.
“So many lives have been affected. And the pain will never go away.
“We miss Matthew every single day. But his memory will always be with us, in our hearts, and in everything we do.”
Tinson was remanded into custody to appear back at Hull Crown Court for sentencing tomorrow (Tuesday, 5 August).