Court told 'simple' man allegedly tied, beaten and strangled by Hamilton murder accused

Brent Paul Brown was found dead on August 31, 2016. Two men are going on trial for his murder in the High Court at Hamilton. Photo / File

A man allegedly murdered at the hands of a Hamilton father and son was a simple man who was very protective of his "treasures".

Brent Paul Brown's bloodied and beaten body was found hanging off his bed in the five-bedroom home he shared with three other couples, including his sister, on August 31, 2016.

Photos shown to the jury in the High Court at Hamilton today gave an insight into Brown's love of collecting items – so much so that they filled most of the space in his downstairs bedroom of the Poaka Ave boarding house and up to the ceiling in sections.

The trial began today in which Lance Tangiriki Bush, 48, and his son Lance Arvi Jackson Bush, 28, are defending charges of Brown's murder and the aggravated robbery of Brown's beloved Ford Fairmont before a jury of five men and seven women.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Mann delivered her opening submissions to the jury this morning and explained in detail how he was tied, beaten and strangled during a bloodied struggle in his bedroom.

She first described how Brown was a "collector" of what she dubbed were his "treasures".

She said Brown was a simple man who used to love working. Due to both working and being the beneficiary of some money, Brown spent his money on his treasures which included several cars, one of those which police allege was stolen by Bush jnr and snr during the alleged murder.

Mann submitted to the jury that Bush snr was known to those who lived there due to his association with the boarding house's landlord and owner.

She built the picture of Brown, a collector who owned a large number of "treasures" and was extremely protective of every single one.

It is alleged on the night that although some of those who lived at the house heard a few noises there was initially some confusion about what had taken place. However, police had uncovered CCTV footage of Bush snr's vehicle towing the Ford back to his property on nearby Kahikatea Dr.

Mann said Brown endured a horrific attack, suffering injuries to most parts of his body from the top of his head right down to his toes.

"The scale of those injuries shows an extent of violence inflicted on him. This was a severe beating, pure and simple."

Philip Morgan QC is representing Bush snr, while Tom Sutcliffe is defending Bush jnr.

Sutcliffe on behalf of his client, Bush jnr, that he had nothing to do with the attack, however he admitted driving to the scene with his father before hearing loud noises and walking inside.

"He does not deny that at one point he was in the room occupied by Mr Brent Brown. His defence is that he was there at the invitation of his father and taken there in the white ute for a purpose that his father had not clearly disclosed to him."

After walking inside, he will allege that he saw his father giving Brown "a beating".

He tried to intervene and in doing so came into contact with Brown before his father "turned on him".

"He left the property never to return."

He would not only deny assaulting him but also deny being involved in the theft of the vehicle.

Morgan submitted on behalf of Bush Snr that he wouldn't get into the technicalities of his defence at this stage, but said his client would deny delivering any of the blows to Brown.

He said one of the several issues of focus for him would the crown's claim that those who set out on a robbery also had the intent of committing murder.

"There was not, from him, violence and importantly, violence was not used to extort the property stolen. Nor, from Bush snr, was the deceased confronted by two or more robbers."

However, he accepted that his client was involved in towing the vehicle from the scene.

"But that was not pursuant to any plan to steal nor was it accomplished by violence, nor was it a case of the deceased being confronted by two or more in an aggravated robbery.

"It can all seem a bit of a puzzle but as the evidence emerges you will start to realise the core issues will be important ones you need to decide."

The trial is being overseen by Justice Rebecca Edwards and is set down for up to five weeks, with 61 witnesses down to be called.