Glen Jones' mother speaks in court

Glen Jones received a fatal beating in his Featherston flat in January last year and his mother, Suzanne Jones, began giving evidence in his murder trial yesterday.

The mother of the Wairarapa supermarket worker bashed to death in his flat says her son had planned for a quiet night in front of the television when he was attacked.

Glen Jones, 40, died after being beaten in his Featherston home on January 12 last year.

His mother, Suzanne Jones, began giving evidence in his murder trial yesterday.

Mrs Jones, whose view of the dock and five defendants was blocked by three large black screens, described to the court the last time she saw her son Glen - the afternoon before he was attacked.

"I went to see him because he had a sore arm."

The pair had a close relationship and saw each other on most days, she said.

He had grazed his right arm chopping up a tree from his sister's property.

"He said it was sore, he worried about it because it was hurting and he thought he had something in it. He didn't have anything in it as far as I could see anyway."

"He just loved cutting firewood. He'd sell some of it and give some of it away."

Mrs Jones said she and her granddaughter spent about 20 minutes at her son's flat.

"He said he was probably going to have a sleep and watch some videos later."

He had to get up for work the next day, Mrs Jones said.

A teary Mrs Jones told the court that later that night, she and her husband received a call from their daughter Janine - who with her husband owned the flat Mr Jones was renting - that something was wrong.

A policewoman met her at the flat, she said.

"She just stopped me and said that he'd been hurt and that I couldn't go in there."

APNZ