Bentley attack plans 'overheard'

A witness in the Bentley home invasion case has told the court he got the impression "something terrible" was going to happen when he heard the alleged attackers planning the burglary.

A depositions hearing in the Rotorua District Court before Justices of the Peace Ron Hope and Philip Aiken heard details of events leading to the vicious attack that put the spotlight on the 111 emergency call system.

One of victim Peter Bentley's workers allegedly named his boss as a good person to rob.

This man, Desmond Mahanga Eru, 22, along with Mano James Tamati, 29, and Ronald Dean Hira, 28, are jointly charged with burglary at the Bentley cattle farm, east of Te Puke in mid-August, while the owners were away for a weekend.

Along with Tamati and Hopihana Epiha, 40, Eru is also charged over an attack on Mr Bentley at his Maniatutu Rd home last Labour Weekend.

The 54-year-old was seriously hurt, and Mr Bentley's wife, Maggie, was left hiding in bushes clutching a cordless phone for more than an hour waiting for police to arrive.

In evidence, Ranui Davis, a self-employed builder and Tamati's cousin, told of a discussion in August about how Tamati, who was broke, could get more money.

Eru, who worked for Mr Bentley, said he knew a person to get money from and it should be on a Saturday morning.

"I didn't know who he was talking about," said Mr Davis, who knew Peter Bentley.

A few days later, Eru came to the Davis home upset. Tamati wanted him to be the driver for "a robbery-type thing - something along those lines" but a tearful Eru did not want to be involved. He was worried it would escalate.

Mr Davis said Eru told him the burglary target was Mr Bentley.

The witness said he visited Eru's house the next day and noticed extra stereo speakers he suspected might have come from a burglary.

On the Friday before Labour Weekend, Mr Davis said he went into town drinking with Tamati and Eru. Eru wanted no involvement in Tamati's plan to go back and get more from the Bentleys.

"We both got the impression [Tamati] was going to do something terrible. We didn't want anything to do with it." the witness said.

Hopihana Epiha entered a surprise guilty plea in January to aggravated robbery and wounding Mr Bentley with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He will be sentenced this month.

Before yesterday's depositions hearing started, Hira pleaded guilty when an aggravated burglary charge was reduced to one of burglary. He was remanded in custody until May 20 for sentencing.

Tamati has indicated he will admit aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and wounding with intent. Tamati was remanded in custody until April 21.

Crown prosecutor Amanda Gordon said Eru was allegedly the driver, accompanied by Tamati and Hira.

She said Eru had worked at the Bentley property and knew how its sophisticated security system worked.

Eru had told the others that Mr Bentley took a large amount of cash in on Saturday mornings to pay his workers. Eru had identified Mr Bentley as a good person to rob.

Depositions continue today.