A tearful woman gave evidence via closed-circuit television in the High Court at Whangarei that Wayne Bracken held her and her partner at gunpoint and stole their dinghy - a month before he allegedly murdered an Auckland man.
Bracken and co-accused Neville Joseph Dangen are charged with kidnapping and murdering 30-year-old Auckland father Jack Davis near Kaeo on February 25 last year.
In addition, Bracken faces charges of aggravated robbery, assault with intent to injure and unlawfully entering a building, all relating to incidents in January and February 2011.
Dangen is also charged with receiving a boat worth in excess of $1000.
Melissa Cochrane, 26, yesterday described how a late-night visitor arrived at her home.
Her partner Bradley Johns, who suffered from cellulitis and was on crutches, answered the door. Ms Cochrane said she got up when she heard "something was wrong" and pushed her way into the lounge after a chair had been shoved up against the door.
In the lounge, Wayne Bracken was pointing a gun at her partner, she said.
Bracken forced them into the kitchen, but in the process Ms Cochrane fainted.
Ms Cochrane described Bracken's mood as "aggressive, scary and serious".
He got them outside and forced them to put the trailer and dinghy on the back of his car, at which stage he produced another firearm.
"It was a lot longer than the other one," Ms Cochrane said.
After Bracken left they packed a bag, got their dog and left the house for somewhere safe.
When they returned some days later, the garage had been "cleaned out".
Earlier in the trial, Bradley Johns gave evidence and described how Bracken had lifted the gun up with both hands and driven it into his sore leg.
Lawyer Gary Gotlieb said the reason Bracken had gone there was because Mr Johns owed him $20,000 after ripping him off over cannabis about five years ago and that he had agreed to let Bracken have the boat and other items as payment. Mr Johns said that was not the case.
Mr Johns and Bracken had known each other for most of their lives, had been best mates, been neighbours for years, played sport together and had gone pig hunting.