Former Launceston resident Joshua Allan Holt, 21, from Victorian, is giving evidence in the murder trial of Nathan John Woolley.

The Crown alleges that Andrew John Semmens, 27, of Perth, Adam Jacob Shepherd, 21, of St Leonards, and Nathan Patrick Mayne, 24, of Newnham, attacked Mr Woolley in his Ravenswood driveway on December 21 last year.

Mr Woolley died four days later.

Mr Holt told the court that he had been at a party with the accused and had been convinced to get in a car with them to get more beer.

Mr Holt said they had all been drinking and the driver, Mr Semmens, had crashed into a fence and knocked it over within minutes of leaving the party.

When the Ravenswood pub was closed they got marijuana from a nearby unit and then decided to drive to the Pizza Pub, in Wellington St, to get the beer, he said.

Mr Holt said Mr Semmens ran into a wheelie bin in the middle of Warring St and when they saw a man at the end of his driveway, Mr Semmens drove towards him.

While giving evidence, Mr Holt said he could not see much but it looked like Mr Mayne, Mr Semmens and Mr Shepherd had him cornered at the top of his stairs and were trying

to hit him with a large piece of wood, which he described as like an axe handle.

``I could see the wood going up (in the air) but I couldn't see him being hit,'' Mr Holt said.

After getting back into the car to drive off, they saw a man -- Mr Woolley -- had been watching and Mr Semmens then allegedly drove up to him.

Mr Holt said the three alleged got out of the car before him, with Mr Semmens carrying the wood and he heard yelling and screaming.

He did not see anyone hit the victim or if anyone was holding him.

Cross examination by the defence lawyers is expected to take place this afternoon.