A man who killed a male model in a 'vicious attack' while dressed as a clown at a Halloween party has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years. Bhekisani Matabiswana, 27, brutally assaulted 36-year-old Luke Harden as he lay 'defenceless' on the ground in Stacksteads, Lancashire, on November 1, 2025.
The Incident
The two men had attended the same fancy dress event at Rosemount Working Men's Club earlier that evening to celebrate Halloween. But after leaving the party shortly before midnight, Matabiswana and Mr Harden became embroiled in an altercation on Newchurch Road. The killer - still clad in his clown outfit - punched and kicked his victim, causing catastrophic injuries to the head and neck. Emergency services rushed to the scene, where Mr Harden was sadly pronounced dead at 1.17am.
Attempt to Evade Justice
Matabiswana, who claimed to have tried to save the model by performing CPR, told police officers he had merely stumbled across Mr Harden lying on the floor. He claimed that he used the victim's phone to call an ambulance - but was later taken into custody and then re-arrested two days later while trying to board a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, from Manchester Airport. Matabiswana, of Zimbabwean descent, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 16-and-a-half years at Preston Crown Court on Monday after being found guilty of murder.
Victim Impact Statements
In his victim impact statement, Mr Harden's father Gary said the death of his son has left him with a 'constant emptiness that cannot be filled'. He added: 'Our lives have completely changed. The pain of losing Luke in such a violent and senseless way, is something we carry every single day.' Mr Harden's mother Kate McGovern said in an emotional statement: 'The reality of our situation and family dynamic has now changed forever. We have been robbed of a son, something a parent should never do, bury their child in their lifetime.'
Evidence and Trial
In police bodycam footage from the night of the murder shared to social media, Matabiswana was heard saying: 'We shouldn't have done this'. The 36-year-old told officers shortly after his attack that he had phoned Rawtenstall A and E, and said he knelt beside Mr Harden, checked for a pulse and began chest compressions before other people took over. But Alan Williams, who was returning to his car after babysitting nearby, told the jury he never saw the defendant carry out CPR. A paramedic who came to the scene also said a man in a Hawaiian shirt, Mr Oldham, was providing 'very good quality' CPR and the man in the clown costume 'played no part at all' in the treatment. A forensic scientist said bloodstains on Matabiswana's shirt and trousers matched the victim's DNA and provided 'extremely strong support' for the view he had punched an 'injured and bleeding' Mr Harden.
Police Reaction
Speaking after the murderer's sentencing, DI Pete MacDonald of Lancashire Police said Matabiswana has shown 'no remorse whatsoever' for his actions. 'Luke Harden was the victim of a vicious attack carried out by a man who continued to assault him while he lay defenceless on the ground,' he added. 'His attacker then made no effort to help him and pretended he had simply stumbled across Luke already injured. Matabiswana has shown no remorse whatsoever for his actions and has made several efforts to evade justice, including by trying to flee the country. I welcome this sentence imposed today and while no jail term can ever compensate for the loss of a life, I hope it gives Luke’s family some sense that justice has been done.'
