Victim 'begged' woman to stay

One of the last people to see transient James John (Janis) Bambrough alive said he begged her not to leave him alone with the men accused of his murder.

Michelle Batt was giving evidence at a Greymouth District Court depositions hearing of Leighton Brian Wilding, 27, of Upper Hutt, and Hayden Brent McKenzie, 26, of Westport, who are accused of murdering Mr Bambrough, 54, on October 12, 1999.

Mr Bambrough disappeared from the Westport home of McKenzie's mother, Patricia Lee, on that date but his body was not located until September 22 this year when it was recovered from a shallow grave in Denniston, 30km north of Westport.

Ms Batt, a friend of McKenzie's mother, was at the party and noticed the atmosphere turn nasty, she told justices of the peace Robin Leathey and Richard Williams.

She heard Mr Bambrough say: "They are going to kill me."

Mr Bambrough complained that McKenzie had said he and Wilding were going to waste him, she said.

Thinking "something's not right here", she decided to leave.

Mr Bambrough begged her not to leave him there but declined an invitation to go with her.

Mrs Lee, an old friend of Mr Bambrough's, said Ms Batt had been drinking all day and was extremely intoxicated.

Ms Lee was present at all times and did not witness any animosity nor hear any threats towards Mr Bambrough.

"Janis was capable of leaving at any stage if he felt he was being threatened. He could have asked me and I would have run him anywhere. He never indicated at any time he was uncomfortable."

Mrs Lee retired around midnight, leaving McKenzie, Wilding, and another man there with Mr Bambrough.

When she woke in the morning both Mr Bambrough's vehicles were outside. The dogs were in the Volvo and his handbag was on the dash of the Pulsar, which had the hazard lights activated. She turned off the lights and moved the bag to a safer position before going to work.

She returned home at lunchtime to find the situation unchanged so she phoned friends, the hospital and local police station to see if anyone had word of Mr Bambrough.

About 4.30pm she repeated the phone calls and then unsuccessfully searched the paddocks near her house with friends.

Earlier she had spoken to Wilding and McKenzie. Both said they had not seen Mr Bambrough that day. He had been in the lounge when they drove the other man home the previous night but was gone when they returned.

- NZPA