Accused emerged 'dripping with blood'

Police carried out a painstaking scene examination of Totara North's Wairakau Stream Track. Photo / Northern Advocate

Murder-accused Wayne Bracken emerged from remote Northland bush "dripping with blood" then stripped to his underwear and later burned the clothing, a jury has heard.

Jack Davis, 30, a father from Auckland, was killed with what police believe was a thistle grubber. His body was found near a remote bush track on the northern side of the Whangaroa Harbour on February 25, 2011.

Bracken, 35, and Neville Joseph Dangen, 24, have been charged with kidnapping and murdering Mr Davis.

In the High Court at Whangarei yesterday, Mano Warmington, who regarded Mr Davis as a brother, told of how he had spoken to Dangen about what took place on the Wairakau walking track.

Mr Warmington, who has a child with Bracken's half-sister, said a visibly shaken Dangen told how Bracken had dragged the bound Mr Davis along the track and into the bush.

Dangen heard Mr Davis cry out and then Bracken climbed back on to the track covered in blood. Dangen told Mr Warmington of how Bracken had stripped down to his "jocks" while on the track, then had driven to his sister's place, had a shower and later burned the bloodied clothing along with items belonging to Mr Davis.

Mr Warmington, who was expecting Mr Davis to be in Whangarei a few days before his death to enter a fishing competition, was worried when even his family in Auckland didn't know where he was.

His fears were confirmed when Kenneth and Fred Bracken, half-brothers of the accused, called him to their Otaika home and told of how Mr Davis had been tied up and dragged along a track.

Kenneth Bracken had been present when Mr Davis was tied up and will give evidence later in the trial after being given immunity by the Solicitor General.

Mr Warmington was told Wayne Bracken had made Kenneth Bracken and Dangen tie up Mr Davis.

Kenneth Bracken was crying and shaking when he recounted the events.

Immediately, Mr Warmington rang 111 and alerted police to the kidnapping and expressed concern that weapons could be involved.

Mr Warmington took Fred and Kenneth Bracken and they headed north, hoping to find Mr Davis alive.

It was as they passed through Waipapa, near Kerikeri, that they spotted Bracken driving south with Dangen in the passenger's seat.

Mr Warmington spun his four-wheel drive around and forced the southbound car to stop by parking alongside it so Bracken couldn't open the driver's door.

Bracken said he didn't know where Mr Davis was.