Gym worker jailed for fatal bashing of 'kind' young man

After going to the doctor with his grandmother, Matthew Davis was looking forward to a quiet weekend at home watching football. Mr Davis, 31, spoke to his nan about getting on top of his problems with gambling and drugs during their outing together on the NSW South Coast. The next afternoon, on August 21, 2021, Mr Davis had a phone call with his mother, who thought he sounded like he was in a "good place". But hours later, the quiet and kind young man was killed in his Lake Illawarra public housing home in an act of "callous thuggery" by fitness instructor Stephen Staff. Staff was charged with Mr Davis's murder, but a jury instead found him guilty of manslaughter during a NSW Supreme Court trial in May. The 68-year-old was on Friday sentenced to at least four years and three months' jail, with Justice Julia Lonergan finding he showed "cold disregard" for Mr Davis. The victim, who had several chronic conditions that left him vulnerable to bone fractures, was bashed and left bleeding for more than half an hour, the judge found. There were also marks on his neck that indicated he was choked with the cord of the hooded blanket he was wearing. CCTV captured Staff entering Mr Davis's home with two other men about 8.20pm in what appeared to be a demand for money. The other men left 14 minutes later, but Staff did not leave until after 1.30am the next day. Justice Lonergan said Mr Davis was entitled to feel safe in his own home, free from fear of violent strangers. "Engaging in this kind of callous thuggery has serious consequences. It must be discouraged," the judge said. "An innocent and much loved young man paid with his life." The judge said Staff told lies "big and small" to deny or minimise his role in the bashing. During recorded phone calls from jail, he told relatives his DNA was found on Mr Davis's clothes because he'd tried to help him. "The obvious way to try and help him would be to place him in a recovery position, and call triple zero. He did none of those things," she said. "Instead, in cold disregard for this man, who had just been bashed about the head and was obviously injured and bleeding, Mr Davis was left on his back to die over the ensuing minutes, unable to protect his airways while dying." Mr Davis's body was found in his blood-splattered home two days later by a close friend, who attended every day of Staff's trial. The judge set a maximum jail term of six years. With time already served, Staff will be eligible for parole in August 2026.