Six people accused of kidnapping a man have fronted the Launceston Supreme Court.
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The man was allegedly robbed, assaulted and held at gunpoint over three days in 2015.
Caine Robert Richardson, Sean Gregory Richardson, Christopher John Humphreys, Matthew Luke Williams, Malcolm Joshua Mayne and Carly Ann Dekkers appeared on Monday for the first day of what is expected to be a three-week trial.
All six defendants have been charged with kidnapping, however, some of the accused face additional charges.
Mr Caine Richardson is facing further charges of aggravated armed robbery, aggravated assault and two counts of assault.
Mr Humphreys has been charged with aggravated armed robbery and assault, Mr Sean Richardson has been charged with aggravated armed robbery, Mr Mayne has been charged with assault and Ms Dekkers has been charged with perverting justice.
Each of the accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.
During day one of the trial, the court was full with the six defendants joined by their six lawyers, while two crown prosecutors, eight uniformed Tasmania Police officers and court security officers were also present.
It took more than an hour to select a jury panel, with 43 jurors either challenged or stood aside.
Once opening statements were underway, Crown prosecutor Luke Brett detailed the case against the alleged kidnappers.
Brothers Caine and Sean Richardson are accused of kidnapping a Victorian man in Launceston in February 2015 by threatening him with a gun and forcing him to get into a car which belonged to their co-accused, Ms Dekkers.
The court heard Mr Sean Richardson told the man “not to run or he would get shot” while his brother, Mr Caine Richardson, told him to get in the car “or they would shoot him”.
It was later at Mr Sean Richardson’s house that Mr Humphreys became involved, the court was told, with the ordeal allegedly over a financial debt owed by the Victorian man.
It has been alleged that a bag was taken from the man and $20,000 cash as well as a small amount of drugs were stolen.
Mr Brett told the court the alleged victim was assaulted, punched, kicked, choked, locked in a cupboard, locked in a boot and taken to multiple locations in multiple vehicles across the three days.
Mr Brett also told the court the complainant had attempted to escape after being taken to one of the locations, but was assaulted by both Mr Mayne and Mr Caine Richardson.
Mr Caine Richardson fired shots at the man and near his head before he and Mr Mayne allegedly forced the man into the boot of a car and drove him back to Launceston where the court heard Mr Williams joined his co-accused and the man was locked in a shed at the home.
Three days after the man was allegedly taken at gun point, police arrived at Mr Sean Richardson’s house where four of the accused were found and arrested. Mr Humphreys was later arrested at his home.
Ms Dekkers is accused of driving past Mr Sean Richardson’s house on the day of the arrests and going home to clean her car in an effort to “remove evidence”.
Ms Dekkers’ defence laywer Charmaine Gibson urged the jury on Monday to consider whether “there really is any evidence about her intention” and insisted she “wasn’t in any way involved” in the alleged kidnapping.
Of the other five defence lawyers, four told the jury “very little” was agreed in the case, except that the complainant was known to his accused kidnappers.
The trial will continue on Tuesday with the alleged victim expected to take the stand.
A number of other witnesses will be called to give evidence, including the alleged victim’s mother, who the court heard had claimed to have spoken to her son during the three days in February, 2015.
