Father and son admit guilt halfway through murder trial

A Hamilton father and son have admitted causing the death of Brent Paul Brown, pictured above, in August 2016.

A Hamilton father and son have taken the unusual step of admitting causing the death of a man halfway through their murder trial.

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

Lance Tangiriki Bush, 48, and his son Lance Arvi Jackson Bush, 28, began a five-week trial to fight murder and aggravated robbery charges on April 18.

However, on Monday, Bush Snr admitted both charges. He was convicted and issued a three-strike warning.

On Tuesday, his son, Lance Bush Jnr, admitted a lesser charge of manslaughter. He was convicted and remanded in custody for sentencing with his father on May 28.

His aggravated robbery charge was withdrawn.

The jury was today informed of the new guilty plea from Bush Jnr by Justice Rebecca Edwards.

She explained Bush Jnr pleaded guilty to the charge on the basis that "he was involved in the assault but not to the same extent as his father".

Brent Paul Brown's body was found in this Dinsdale home on August 31, 2016. Photo/File

Bush Jnr's defence in the trial was that he was in the room but he did not have anything to do with his death and instead blamed his father for what happened.

Justice Edwards also today lifted suppression on Daniel Tai Houia, 47, who pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated robbery prior to the start of the trial last month. His murder charge was withdrawn by the crown.

Houia will be sentenced on May 15.

Speaking outside court, Brown's brother and sister, Colin Brown and Sandra Thomas, were pleased with the guilty verdicts, which they felt brought some closure over their brother's death.

Brown said he wasn't overly surprised by the admissions and said "their stories" were not very strong.

Brown was described as a collector - or otherwise known as a hoarder - of "treasures", with a Ford Fairmont being one of those prized items.

In her opening submissions, crown prosecutor Rebecca 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," she told the jury of seven women and five men."