A South Launceston man has been sentenced to 10 years' jail for his role in the murder of Bradley Breward.
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Ricky John Izard, 28, was charged with murder, but entered guilty pleas to the lesser charges of manslaughter, aggravated burglary and perverting the course of justice in June.
A jury found his employer Mark Rodney Jones guilty of murdering Mr Breward at a Newnham unit on New Year's Day in 2017.
MURDER TRIAL
Izard was armed with a screwdriver and wore a mask when he and Jones entered a Newnham unit where Mr Breward was asleep on the couch.
Jones' had been searching for Mr Breward in relation to a stolen Nissan Patrol, which the killer was selling to pay for a back operation for his long-term partner Rebecca Bailey.
Jones became obsessed with finding the car, with the self-employed builder stopping work so he could spend hours looking for the vehicle.
Jones put a $1000 bounty on Mr Breward's head after learning he may be responsible for the theft, which led to a woman named Tina Robertson giving up the victim's location.
Ms Robertson was in a relationship with Mr Breward's friend Cody Lee at the time.
Ms Robertson came over early on New Year's Day, but was only in the Newnham unit for a short time because she had a fight with Mr Lee.
As she was leaving Mr Breward insinuated she'd had sex with another man and the comment offended Ms Robertson, so she left the unit and called Jones.
When the killer and his accomplice entered the unit, Izard went to the bedroom to hold Mr Lee at bay while Jones began torturing and interrogating Mr Breward over the car.
MURDER TRIAL
- DAY 4 AM: Jury visits unit where Bradley Breward allegedly killed
- DAY 4 PM: Mark Jones and two other men tried to give Bradley Breward CPR
- DAY 5 AM: Bradley Breward's injuries detailed by forensic pathologist
- DAY 5 PM: Mark Jones didn't leave unit in fear of looking like a 'goose'
- DAY 6: Prosecutor says jury can be satisfied Mark Jones guilty of murder
- DAY 7: Alternative verdict of manslaughter offered to jury
Jones told police Mr Breward was defiant to the end.
After being punched, kicked, waterboarded and a plastic bag held around his head, Mr Breward told Jones he was dying.
But Jones said he thought the victim was being stupid, so he again wrapped a plastic bag around Mr Breward's head.
The bag was removed after Jones counted to 40, but Mr Breward was blue and wasn't breathing.
Jones, Izard and Mr Lee attempted to give Mr Breward CPR, but no one called an ambulance.
Mr Breward's body was wrapped in a beanbag and tarpaulin and put in Jones' car.
Jones and Izard went to Woolworths, despite Mr Breward's body being in the car, to buy Mr Lee cleaning products and food because Jones thought it was the "right thing to do".
After driving around for hours looking for a mineshaft at Lilydale, the killer and his accomplice decided to buy a raft from Launceston Kmart and dump Mr Breward's body in Lake Eugenana, also known as Melrose Quarry.
Jones lied to police in his initial interview, saying he'd never met Mr Breward and stopped looking for him before Christmas in 2016.
Izard will be eligilble for parole after serving six years. He sentence was backdated to February 2, 2017.