The violence that ended a 26 year-old man's life was described today at the start of a three-week trial in the High Court at Auckland.
Jason Noe Kia Chong Boon, 26, died after intruders allegedly broke into his home in east Auckland at 1pm on November 18 and beat him to death.
Mr Boon's partner, Janny-Lee Brussow, who was at home with their three-year-old daughter, alerted police to the attack.
Guy Nicholas Wilson, 36, from Otara, and Paul Junior Grace, 24, from East Tamaki, are jointly charged with murder.
Grace together with his girlfriend Annette Louise Elaine Heta, 27, also from Otara, are charged with kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
All have pleaded not guilty.
In the opening day of the trial, the jury of 10 men and two women heard the opening remarks from Justice Helen Winkelmann, Crown prosecutor Kirsten Lummis and the defendants' lawyers.
Ms Lummis told the court that three intruders attacked Mr Boon in his home at night.
Ms Brussow grabbed her phone and their three year-old daughter and locked herself in the bathroom upstairs.
She managed to make a call to police, but could clearly hear Mr Boon struggling for breath downstairs as the attack took place.
Police arrived on the scene 12 minutes later.
Ms Lummis told the court the three accused knew Mr Boon.
"In this case, the plan was not to kill Jason Boon, the plan was to rob him of drugs and money," Ms Lummis said.
About 10.30pm, the three accused drove to Mr Boon's address in Kirikiri Lane in Botany Downs.
They had gloves, a wig for Wilson to wear, and a roll of duct tape.
Ms Lummis told the court that Mr Boon was involved in the drug scene, which was the only reason the three accused went to his address.
On answering the door to his attackers, Mr Boon was thrown to the ground and beaten about the chest, neck and head.
His partner heard him pleading with his attackers to stop, but tape was placed around his head and eyes, and his hands were taped behind his back.
When the duct tape ran out, his attackers used an audio visual cord and tied it around his hands.
The trio searched the house for property to steal before police arrived.
Ms Lummis said all three escaped out of the back door but were quickly caught by police who had the place surrounded.
Jason Boon was left dead, or very close to death, after suffering various injuries.
He had bruising to his throat, neck and hands, a stab wound to his right forearm. He died from asphyxiation, largely due to the duct tape covering his mouth.
Murray Gibson, defence for Wilson, told the jury the essential issues to bear in mind in this case were the high levels of methamphetamine found in Mr Boon's blood when he died.
He said in other cases, it had been attributed to causing death.
He pointed out the Crown agreed that methamphetamine in Mr Boon's system could not be excluded as a contributing factor in his death.
The trial was expected to last three weeks.
