By Tara Shasky, Open Justice reporter of 
Mathew David Hannon has been sentenced for his role in the death of Sidney Ross Bridson at Waitaanga, a small settlement east of Taranaki, in October 2023. Photo: Open Justice / NZME
A long-standing dispute between two neighbours in a remote rural settlement ended with one supplying a loaded shotgun, and the other's body discovered in his torched house.
Sidney Ross Bridson and Mathew David Hannon lived about 300m from one another in Waitaanga, east of Taranaki, with a small valley separating their properties.
The pair had been at odds over several matters, including access to a shed on a shared driveway and family and friends of Bridson's hunting on the surrounding land.
Tensions continued to boil between the men, and on one occasion, Bridson smashed a bottle over Hannon's head and threatened him.
Then, in October 2023, Bridson's body was discovered inside the charred remains of his burned-down home.
After a lengthy police investigation, Hannon and two other men were charged with murdering the 55-year-old.
His co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder and arson and will defend the charges at trial next year.
However, Hannon admitted a reduced charge of manslaughter, and was sentenced yesterday in the High Court at New Plymouth.
At the sentencing, Justice Paul Radich described Hannon, who was not present when Bridson died, as having engineered his death.
The court heard that on 24 August 2023, Bridson and Hannon had an argument.
Two days later, Hannon visited Bridson at his home, and while there, was attacked by Bridson.
He pushed Hannon to the ground, smashed an empty bottle over his head and threatened to kill him.
Hannon left the property with moderate injuries and, due to the altercation, became afraid of Bridson and preoccupied with his movements and behaviour.
Then, on the evening of 10 October, Bridson was drunk at his home.
For reasons unknown, Bridson smashed the windows of a vehicle he had purchased that day and set fire to it.
Hannon, who had heard Bridson yelling and saw that he had started a fire, phoned one of his co-defendants.
Early the next morning, the co-defendants arrived at his home, where Hannon gave them a shotgun and ammunition.
It is alleged the co-defendants then murdered Bridson and set fire to his house.
In court, Crown prosecutor Jacob Bourke sought a starting point of eight to 10 years' imprisonment for Hannon, while defence lawyer Paul Keegan, KC, argued six years, six months was appropriate.
Bourke submitted that Hannon's offending featured an element of vigilantism.
He said that while Hannon was not present when Bridson died, he had provided the firearm and ammunition.
Keegan acknowledged Hannon's reckless actions and the harm that transpired.
"The decision to supply a loaded firearm in these circumstances is acknowledged to be extremely foolish, criminal and tragically fatal."
Justice Radich acknowledged Bridson's loved ones, who had described him as caring, intelligent, a "fantastic" father and uncle, a mentor and a talented craftsman.
The family had labelled the neighbour's conflict as a "petty feud", and said Bridson had been lost to "a dark, ugly night that went horribly wrong".
They now cherished "precious memories" of camping, fishing and hunting trips at Waitaanga where the family had visited Bridson for 20 years.
Justice Radich accepted Hannon's actions were vigilante in nature, and, while he was not at the crime scene, his role was serious.
"Essentially, you engineered the events that followed."
Justice Radich took a starting point of seven years and six months' imprisonment before allowing credit for Hannon's guilty plea and remorse.
Hannon was sentenced to five years and three months in prison and was banned from owning firearms.
* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.
