BIKER NEWS: Claim that man who stabbed Outlaws bikie gang member Sean Trigg 18 times acted in self-defence rejected

BIKER NEWS -- A man's claim that he fatally stabbed a bikie in self-defence during a domestic dispute has been rejected by the prosecution in a Hobart court.

Outlaws motorcycle gang member Sean Trigg, 48, was stabbed 18 times when he intervened in a domestic dispute in June last year, with the fatal wound being a 12-centimetre deep strike to the heart.

Matthew James Linton has pleaded not guilty to Mr Trigg's murder, arguing it was self-defence.

Linton's lawyer Tamara Jago told the Supreme Court jury the 35-year-old believed at least two aggressive bikies, armed with machetes, were invading his home.

"Matthew Linton had no choice but to fight to save his own life," she said.

"This was literally a do-or-die situation, and he chose to do, and miraculously he survived."

But prosecutor Jackie Hartnett said Mr Trigg was unarmed and alone and Linton had been waiting for him with a 25-centimetre knife.

Bikie heard 'piercing scream'

The court heard the chain of events that led to the stabbing started weeks earlier.

Linton and his girlfriend, Kelly Palmer, had been in a relationship for about six months and were living together, with Ms Palmer's four children, in a home in Wallace Street, Bridgewater.

The court heard things had become "strained" between the two and an argument that turned physical culminated in Ms Palmer making inquiries about alternative accommodation, which included sending a text message to her friend Sean Trigg.

On the night of the murder, Mr Trigg had been drinking with Ms Palmer in the Outlaws' Bridgewater clubrooms, close to where she lived.

The court heard Linton had dropped Ms Palmer off at the clubhouse about 8:00pm, believing she would be there less than an hour, and as time passed he had become increasingly agitated.

He claimed when he went inside the clubhouse about 11:00pm he was assaulted by the bikies.

But Ms Hartnett said the only other person in the clubhouse would give evidence things "were reasonable for a time" but "came to an abrupt end" when Mr Trigg told Linton to "f*** off" and escorted him out of the clubhouse.

There are no security cameras inside the clubrooms.

The court heard Ms Palmer stayed on and when she got home about 12:40am Linton had become physical with her and chased her out into the street where he assaulted her.

Mr Trigg heard her "piercing scream" and went to the house, the court was told.

Knife and baton broke in the fight

Ms Hartnett said the neighbour saw only Mr Trigg come from the clubhouse, but Ms Palmer's daughter said she saw two men come from the clubhouse and go inside the house, where Linton had locked himself in.

The court heard Mr Trigg had yelled at Linton to come out before breaking down the locked front door and going inside.

Ms Hartnett said almost immediately the neighbour had heard him say, "He's stabbing me".

The neighbour, armed with an extendable baton, then also entered the house.

The court heard both the knife and the baton snapped in the fight, which travelled from the front door, up the hallway and into the kitchen.

Mr Trigg was found by police kneeling with the knife blade still in his back and his head on the kitchen floor.

Linton was found bleeding from the head and hand in nearby long grass by a police officer.

'Did I kill him? I hope I killed him'

Ms Hartnett told the jury Linton had asked the officer: "Did I kill him? I hope I killed him."

And later, they heard, Linton said: "He deserves everything he f***ing gets"

Linton's lawyer Tamara Jago said there were "massive chunks of the evidence that are in dispute" and would be challenged.

She told the jury the credibility of witnesses would be an issue and they would be asked to decide whether Matthew James Linton was in fear for his own life when he attacked.

Ms Jago said what happened earlier in the clubhouse was crucial to events that unfolded later at Linton's home.

The jury will be taken to the scene when the trial continues tomorrow.

This article was first published on Oct 26, 2015

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