Pair sang about killing says witness

By PATRICK GOWER


An Auckland street-dweller accused of murdering celebrity interior designer David McNee wandered through the city afterwards singing a song about the way he did it.

A court heard yesterday how Philip Layton Edwards, 23, wore Mr McNee's clothes, drank his alcohol and tried to sell his Audi sportscar in the days after the killing late on July 20.

During the first day of a depositions hearing in the Auckland District Court, fellow street-dweller Martin James Te Amohanga-Nikora told of the "little rhyming poem" made up by Edwards - known as "Tick".

"It went, 'First bashing, then strangulation, followed by suffocation'," he said.

Te Amohanga-Nikora is serving a jail sentence after pleading guilty to being an accessory to the robbery of Mr McNee.



Mr McNee was bashed to death in what police allege was a frenzied attack at the inner-city St Marys Bay home where he lived alone with his bassett hounds Jasper and Felix.

The openly gay 55-year-old was known for the flamboyant style he brought to television shows My House, My Castle and Changing Rooms.

The court heard how Mr McNee pulled over beside Edwards and Te Amohanga-Nikora on Karangahape Rd late on the Sunday night. All three had been in the Owl Bar, a pokie bar and known hangout for the homeless and homosexuals alike.

Edwards asked Mr McNee to take him to Burger King and left Te Amohanga-Nikora behind.

It is alleged that they ended up at Mr McNee's Hackett St house, where Edwards punched him in the head many times, killing him.

He covered up the body and had a shower in Mr McNee's ensuite.

He stole clothing and alcohol that he loaded into the black Audi convertible and went to "The Seconds", a place where he was living under a bridge on Sturdee St.

Te Amohanga-Nikora told the court he was woken by Edwards, who said something like, "I killed him".

He then helped Edwards, who was wearing some of McNee's clothes, to unload the car and throw a blood-stained blanket and clothing in a bin.

Asked by Steve Haszard, for the police, how he felt as he sorted the clothes, Te Amohanga-Nikora replied: "I was thinking I wanted this pair of shoes I saw there."

He said he took the shoes and a pair of pants.

The stolen bottles included gin, Kahlua ,"some aniseed stuff" and some vinegar.

On the Monday they walked about making up the song and eventually ended up at Albert Park drinking with some girls.

Edwards brought the car so they could listen to "sounds".

Police later found Mr McNee's car dumped near the park.

Te Amohanga-Nikora admitted helping Edwards to try and sell some of Mr McNee's gear, including the car. He said two Asians took it for a test-drive, but did not want to buy it without ownership papers.

He said he did not know how long he had known Edwards, what his real name was or why he was nicknamed Tick.



Edwards had said he would get life if he was caught for the murder, and that he would kill anyone who narked on him, which Te Amohanga-Nikora said he believed.

Mr McNee's body was found in the house on the Tuesday night. When Te Amohanga-Nikora was approached by a detective from the murder inquiry in the days afterwards, he was still wearing the pants and shoes.

Under cross-examination by Adam Couchman, for Edwards, Te Amohanga-Nikora was asked if he felt Mr McNee was "checking him out" at the Owl Bar or if he had heard the term "cruising". Through mumbled answers, he appeared to indicate he did not know what Mr Couchman meant.

Another witness, Monique Adams, said she had been drinking with Edwards and Te Amohanga-Nikora in Albert Park the day after the killing. Edwards was pouring them gins and showing around a new shirt she thought was Ralph Lauren.

An arrest warrant was issued when a third witness, Soraya Walker, failed to turn up for the hearing, with Mr Haszard saying she might "need some persuasion".

Edwards has been held in custody since he was arrested on Queen St a week after the murder.

The hearing will continue on Thursday and is expected to take two more days.


The case

The accused: Philip Layton Edwards, a 23-year-old Auckland street-dweller.

The victim: William David McNee, a 55-year-old St Marys Bay interior designer, known by his middle name.

The charge: That Edwards bashed Mr McNee to death at his home in July, stealing alcohol, clothing and his car.

The hearing: A depositions hearing in the Auckland District Court will see if there is enough evidence for Edwards to face a High Court trial.