A murder accused told his "boys" to "hoe into" an 18-year-old during a brawl outside a Far North pub, a court has heard.
Kaitaia District Court has been hearing evidence in a depositions case following the fatal bashing of Haymish Lloyd Cameron, of Pamapuria, 10km east of Kaitaia.
Mr Cameron died after an attack outside Kaitaia's Waireka Hotel in the early hours of August 25 last year.
Miru Mark, 17, Etana Heka, 44, Henry Pairama, 39, Dennis Steven Porter Opetaia, 20, Piki Teora Mark, 38, and a male accused who has name suppression are charged with Mr Cameron's murder.
A woman witness gave evidence that she saw the accused with name suppression egging others on as a brawl developed outside the hotel.
She did not recognise any of the others who were involved in the attack on Mr Cameron.
The 18-year-old victim had been punched in the face as he came out of the hotel. He went to the ground, at which point four or five other men began kicking and punching him.
The witness saw Mr Cameron take five or six kicks to the head and sides. His attackers had included the unnamed accused who had also told the rest of "his boys" to "hoe into him".
The witness did not know how Mr Cameron came to be on the ground but told the court that he lay on his back while the attack continued.
Another witness said he heard a loud crack or bang as he left the hotel and saw Mr Cameron collapse to the ground, his legs giving way beneath him.
At that point the witness was grabbed from behind, suffering a number of kicks and punches, while Mr Cameron took a series of "vicious" kicks to the head and chest from the unnamed accused and two others.
The witness identified Miru Mark as being involved in the attack on Mr Cameron, and another person, who was not in court, as marshalling the crowd.
He also told the court that he heard the unnamed accused referring to "those Paatu mongrels" and instructing others to "get them" because they did not deserve to live.
He heard the unnamed accused saying that "we own this town" and "no one tells us what to do".
The witness and another man subsequently helped Mr Cameron to a vehicle. He asked to be taken to an address in Kaitaia, where he was later pronounced dead by a doctor.
Under cross-examination, the witness conceded that the scene outside the hotel had been confused but denied that his memory had become clouded. He said Miru Mark had not been among those he saw kicking Mr Cameron.
He also accepted that in his original statement to police he had claimed to have seen Heka directing the brawl but adding that he had not seen him involved in the fight.
JPs Bob Banks and Anne Kitchen adjourned the hearing to July 1, when a further two- week sitting will begin.
Miru Mark and Heka were remanded on bail, the others in custody.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)
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