Text messages sent from an accused killer show he thought about waterboarding, torturing and tying up the man he allegedly murdered, a jury has heard
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Mark Rodney Jones has pleaded not guilty to murdering Bradley Breward at a Newnham unit on New Year's Day in 2017.
In his closing address on the sixth day of the Launceston Supreme Court trial, Director of Public Prosecutions Daryl Coates told the jury they could be satisfied Mr Jones was guilty of murder.
THE TRIAL
Mr Coates said when Mr Jones was interviewed by police he appeared to blame everyone but himself for Mr Breward's death and admitted to getting rid of the body to avoid being charged with murder.
The court heard Mr Jones paid Tina Robertson $1000 for Mr Breward's location, but when he got to the unit he didn't really want to go in.
Mr Jones, of West Launceston, also told police he kept assaulting and torturing Mr Breward because the 22-year-old was defiant and wouldn't give him information about a stolen car.
The court heard the last thing Mr Breward said to Mr Jones was "I'm dying", but Mr Jones did not believe him.
Mr Jones sat Mr Breward up, kicked him twice across the stomach because he wanted to wind him and then put a plastic bag over the alleged victim's head for a second time, the court heard.
Mr Coates said everybody warns their children not to put bags over their heads because it's dangerous, so the accused should've stopped and thought about his actions and everything Mr Breward had already endured.
Mr Breward turned blue after being suffocated and CPR was attempted, the court heard. Mr Jones told police he didn't call an ambulance because he was overwhelmed, instead he asked Cody Lee what he should do.
Mr Coates said Mr Jones was insinuating it was the 19-year-old's fault that this 41-year-old man didn't call an ambulance or rush Mr Breward to the hospital.
THE TRIAL
It was Mr Lee's Housing Tasmania unit that Mr Jones and his employee Ricky Izard broke-in to after being tipped off about Mr Breward's whereabouts.
Mr Coates said Mr Jones was angry over the theft of his Nissan Patrol and was so desperate for it to be returned he put a bounty on Mr Breward's head.
Leading up to New Year's Day, the court heard Mr Jones complained to his friend Terry Taylor about the stolen car and said he was looking for Mr Breward.
Mr Taylor told the court Mr Jones said he was going to waterboard and torture Mr Breward to get information about the car.
The court also heard Mr Jones text his friend Timothy Haab about Mr Breward and the car.
"He's going to die and be brought back to life many times over," a text from Mr Jones allegedly said.
Mr Coates said there was very little evidence as to whether Mr Breward did or didn't take Mr Jones' car.
Defence lawyer Greg Richardson will make his closing address before Justice Robert Pearce on Tuesday.
