Dying man left bleeding on Featherston pavement, court told

Paul Irons was left lying blood-soaked and gurgling by the three men charged with killing him in Featherston last October, Wellington District Court was told yesterday.

Police alleged Mr Irons, 36, was tackled to the ground, then repeatedly kicked by Shawn Mihaka Sullivan, 25, Andrew Dean Kupa-Caudwell, 17, and a 15-year-old wearing steel-capped boots.

The youngest accused has name suppression.

A witness told the court yesterday it sounded like Mr Irons, who died several days later, was "drowning in his own blood".

The accused face a depositions hearing on joint charges of murder, and the court heard from two witnesses who were with them that evening.

The hearing, before Judge Ian Mill, was being held in Wellington because Masterton District Court was too busy.

On October 8 last year the accused were at a party in Brandon Street in Featherston, police prosecutor Tom Gilbert said.

While at the party, Kupa-Caudwell told someone that later a group of them were "going to see if anyone wants to fight".

About 1.30am on October 9, the three accused were in a group of five walking into central Featherston when Mr Irons came across them.

When Mr Irons ran up waving his arms Kupa-Caudwell swung a punch at him and he ran away, Mr Gilbert said.

Mr Irons was then tackled to the ground twice, the second time by Sullivan, Mr Gilbert said.

He was then kicked, punched and stomped about the head and body, and robbed of a bag containing a wallet, a magazine and two syringes.

He said the three accused, watched by the other two, then tried to burn the stolen property. No one called for medical help.

Mr Irons was found by passers-by about 6.35am, lying behind bushes with his pants pulled around his ankles, unconscious but making slight noises.

He was taken to hospital with injuries that included two fractures to his jaw, a fractured eye socket, punctured lung and internal bleeding.

In hospital, Mr Irons was put into a drug-induced coma, from which he never recovered.

Kupa-Caudwell and the 15-year-old both told police they "accepted a limited involvement" in the incident, while Sullivan would not answer questions, Mr Gilbert said.

In the days after the assault, the three accused communicated with others about what happened. Evidence of a large number of witnesses was handed up in written form.

One witness said the "hiding" lasted "five minutes at least".

When lawyer, Mike Antunovic, asked whether Kupa-Caudwell "had a problem with one of his legs" and so couldn't have chased Mr Irons, he agreed.

A second witness, 17, said after he saw Sullivan and the 15-year-old chasing Irons "that's the last I saw him".

The trial continues today with testimony from expert witnesses.

- NZPA