A Beverley man has pleaded guilty to the murder of 44-year-old Matthew Phillips following a violent street assault in the town earlier this year.
Timothy Tinson, 43, of Lairgate, admitted the charge during a hearing at Hull Crown Court today (Monday, 4 August). He had previously denied the offence at an earlier appearance at Hull Magistrates’ Court in January.
The fatal incident happened at around 1am on Saturday, 4 January, when police were called to reports of a serious assault in Saturday Market. Officers arrived to find Mr Phillips unconscious in the road with a severe head injury. Tinson was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder.
Mr Phillips was taken to hospital, but despite the efforts of medical staff, he died shortly afterwards from his injuries.
Humberside Police said the two men, who knew each other through a mutual acquaintance, had earlier been involved in a verbal altercation at a property on Lairgate. Tinson was asked to leave, but later that night, a final confrontation between the pair turned physical, ending with Mr Phillips falling into the road.
Tinson continued the assault while Mr Phillips lay defenceless, repeatedly striking him in the head. The attack left him with life-threatening injuries from which he could not recover.
Detective Chief Inspector Leanne Murphy, who led the investigation, 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.”
Speaking of the heartbreaking loss, 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 has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Hull Crown Court tomorrow (Tuesday, 5 August).
A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to previous police contact with both Tinson and Mr Phillips. That investigation remains ongoing but is currently paused pending the conclusion of court proceedings.
