The girlfriend of a 26-year-old man who was brutally attacked in his Botany home described the last moments of his life yesterday.
Janny-Lee Brussow broke down as she told a jury about the assault on her partner Jason Noe Kai Chong Boon, on the second day of a
three-week trial in the High Court at Auckland.
Mr Boon died after intruders broke into his home in east Auckland on November 18 last year and allegedly beat him to death.
Guy Nicholas Wilson, 36, from Otara, Paul Junior Grace, 24, from East Tamaki, and Annette Louise Elaine Heta, 27, are jointly charged with murder. Wilson, Grace and Heta are also charged with assault and intention to rob. All have pleaded not guilty.
As the three intruders entered the home at about 10.30pm, Miss Brussow said she grabbed her phone and their 3-year-old daughter and locked herself in the bathroom upstairs.
She managed to make a call to police, but could clearly hear Mr Boon struggling for breath downstairs as the attack took place.
"I could hear there was a big struggle and Jason was pleading for his life. He was begging them to stop. They were swearing and saying they were going to kill him."
Miss Brussow told the court it sounded as if Mr Boon was being strangled.
She said she heard the intruders ask Mr Boon, "Where is she?" and he said he didn't know.
"It went quiet after a while," she said.
Ian Tucker, for Heta, asked her about Mr Boon's source of income, and she told the court he sold methamphetamine.
The trial is expected to last three weeks.
- NZPA
