Wife of Craig Rippon tells of attack

Mathew Thomas Madams, left, Kevin Roy Madams, and Tyrone Peter Madams have denied murdering Craig Rippon. PHOTO/MURRAY WILSON

The wife of murdered man Craig Rippon today gave her account in the High Court in Whanganui of the attack that took her husband's life.

Kate Rippon told Crown prosecutor Harry Mallalieu of witnessing a confrontation earlier in the day.

"When I asked [Craig Rippon] 'what was that about?' he said 'some stupid dog'."

An hour later the five members of the group started smashing windows at their Rimu St home with iron bars, she said.

"I heard my daughter say 'oh my God, look what they're doing to Dad'."

Mrs Rippon ran outside to see her husband lying on the ground. "I turned to [Tyrone Peter Madams] and said: 'What are you doing?'"

According to Mrs Rippon, the accused pointed to his face saying "look at me, look at what they've done to me".

"I said, 'I think you have killed him.'"

"[Tyrone Peter Madams] turned and said 'he's all right, isn't he?'"

At one point Mrs Rippon had to stop their son running towards his father, out of fear for his safety. "One of them said 'we're coming for you next big boy and we're going to kill you'."

The group started to leave when Tyrone William Madams delivered a final blow to the Mr Rippon with a spade.

When Mrs Rippon was asked in court what the group did before leaving, the witness stood up, looked at the accused directly, pulled her fist to her chest and said "Black Power Whanganui the best, that's what [Kevin Roy Madams] said, Mr Mallalieu."

She told the High Court how her husband and Tyrone Peter Madams were "like brothers" and how she thought of his children "as my own."

Tyrone Peter Madams, Matthew Thomas Madams, Kevin Roy Madams, and two youths are charged with the murder of Craig Rippon, 57, on November 8, 2015. They are also charged with participating in a criminal organisation. They have denied the charges.

In June, Tyrone William Madams pleaded guilty to Mr Rippon's murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment.