Witness tells of thuds while watching crime show

Allison McPhee. Photo / NZPA

The next door neighbour of slain Wellington woman Allison McPhee was glued to his favourite late-night television show on Sky when he heard a racket through the concrete wall between their small flats.

Tuahine Taunoa was watching a criminal investigation programme and the avid fan told the High Court of Wellington today that he enjoyed the series "because they are always catching the bad guys".

Giving evidence for the prosecution at the murder trial of John Hone Haerewa, 53, who has denied murdering Ms McPhee, Mr Taunoa said enthusiastically that he liked seeing the characters "getting up to mischief and getting caught".

While watching television, he heard a number of "quite heavy thuds, which would have been loud if you were in the same room when they were made".

Mr Taunoa said his ground floor bed-sit in the city council-owned Newtown Park complex was usually quiet.

Apart from the occasional stereo blaring loudly, he was rarely bothered by noise in the neighbourhood.

"That makes me think the thuds were heavy, as I had my television on as well."

The sound, said Mr Taunoa, was like somebody being knocked against the wall.

"It sounded like someone was taking a bashing next door."

Things had calmed down by the time the "CI" episode drew to an end at 11.30pm. The witness said he then went to bed and fell asleep.

That was on the night of July 22 last year when police believe Ms McPhee, 42, was fatally injured in a frenzied attack with a broken leg from a wooden stool. She had lived in the bed-sit only for a few weeks.

The dead woman's bloodied body was found six days later sprawled inside her front door, which a worried friend forced open. Rigor mortis had set in.

Her head, which had taken the brunt of the bashing, was covered with a hoodie.

Blood soaked the floor and splattered the walls. Written in ballpoint pen over the blood on the wall above the victim were the words: "Die you f nark."

The next day, Mr Taunoa found clothes and rubbish scattered near his doorway when he went outside to hang his washing on the line.

As well as clothing items and a pair of sneakers, he found Chinese food and a green canvas bag.

With no sign of Ms McPhee and "her boyfriend" -- whom he identified in court as the accused, Hone Haerewa -- the witness said he gathered everything up and left it outside her flat "because I didn't want to get into trouble".

Four days later, the stuff was still there and he binned the by-then rotting food and the clothing.

Mr Taunoa said he had last seen Ms McPhee on the afternoon of July 22 when he came across her and Haerewa arguing outside her front door.

The occupant of the first floor flat directly above Ms McPhee's, Pale Elise, described late-night noises around the alleged date and time of the murder. He was in bed watching a DVD.

"I could feel the whole wall vibrating from thumping and shouting in the flat below."

The noise got louder and louder, continuing for about 10 minutes.

Mr Elise said he heard a strong male voice yelling "I am going to kill you, you f bitch."

The trial, before a jury of six men and six women, started on Monday and is scheduled to last another two weeks.

Justice Simon France is presiding.

Haerewa, of slight build, with long hair and a beard, has pleaded not guilty to murder. He has been sitting impassively in the dock, often with head bowed and eyes lowered.

- NZPA