In text messages to his accused killer's phone, Bradley Breward's mother allegedly said she'd wiped her drug-addict son because she couldn't cope with him anymore.
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Mark Rodney Jones has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Breward on New Year's Day in 2017.
A series of text messages from the mobile numbers of the accused and Mr Breward's mother Rebecca Faulkner were read to the Launceston Supreme Court on Tuesday.
TRIAL DAY 1: Stolen car interrogation leads to death, court hears
A search for Mr Jones' stolen Nissan Patrol ute led him to a Ravenswood house where he thought Ms Faulkner lived and was hiding her son, the court heard.
A former neighbour told Ms Faulkner that Mr Jones was looking for Mr Breward and sent her a picture of a flyer offering $5000 for information that led to the stolen car, the court heard.
A text message from Ms Faulkner's phone to Mr Jones' phone on December 16 said: "I'm sorry about your ute but you should never lend him [Mr Breward] anything. He's not my son anymore, he's a drug addict that looks like him."
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A reply from Mr Jones' phone said he didn't know Mr Breward, but his ute was for sale. Mr Jones' Patrol was parked on Westbury Road when it was stolen.
"He's a f---head, if I knew where he was I'd tell you," a reply from Ms Faulkner's phone said.
Mr Jones said he wanted to shake Mr Breward up enough to possibly recover his stolen car, according to the messages.
"I'm not silly and I don't want to go to jail doing it, but I will find him before I stop looking," Mr Jones allegedly said. Text messages sent from mobile numbers belonging to Mr Jones and his friend Timothy Haab were also read to the court.
Mr Haab, who gave evidence on Tuesday, allegedly messaged Mr Jones offering the self-employed builder work on December 29 - two days before Mr Breward was allegedly killed at a Newnham unit.
After discussing the job, Mr Jones allegedly told Mr Haab about his ute being stolen and that he was "on the trail" of Mr Breward over the theft.
"C---'s going to pay when I get him," a message to Mr Haab's phone said.
"He's going to die and be brought back to life many times over."
Mr Haab replied: "That's what I like to hear. F--- needs torturing. Vigilante style!".
When asked by defence lawyer Greg Richardson if Mr Haab considered himself a respectable, law-abiding citizen he said yes.
Mr Richardson asked if Mr Haab meant what he said in the texts.
"He was a friend who was hurting and I was trying to make him feel better," Mr Haab said.
The trial before Justice Robert Pearce continues.