Serious violence had been planned by the Mob, Crown says
Very serious violence had been planned at a meeting for the “hit” that killed Christchurch sex worker Mellory Manning when she was picked up off Manchester Street.
Crown prosecutor Phil Shamy said in his closing address that whoever killed Miss Manning intended to kill her, and with the injuries she had there was no doubt that she was murdered.
He said Mauha Huatahi Fawcett – the 26-year-old gang prospect accused of her murder – had not acted alone. There had been others involved, and they may have been patched members of the Mongrel Mob, he told the 19th day of the trial before Justice David Gendall and a jury in the High Court at Christchurch.
Nothing forensically linked anyone else, but others may face their trial on this charge, he said.
Fawcett was guilty if he was a party to the murder, involved and participated in it, or assisted or encouraged the principal people knowing that they were going to murder Miss Manning, or cause serious harm.
He said the injuries done to her and the use of weapons showed that her attackers wanted her dead. The injuries were from four separate causes, any one of which alone could have killed her.
Fawcett said the attack was a “hit”, so very serious violence was planned at the meeting before Miss Manning was picked up off Manchester Street. He said Fawcett knew that a probable consequence of that meeting was that one of those patched members would murder her.
Fawcett wanted to get his patch and he had to obey the older gang members. That was what he wanted, that was his life, Mr Shamy said.
He was part of taxing the girls on Manchester Street, and he knew if they didn’t pay there would be harm done.
Mr Shamy asked why the mob took Miss Manning to the gang pad in Galbraith Avenue if they were going to give her a slap, or of a bit of a hiding.
They took her to a shed, and Fawcett said in one of his many interviews that he locked the door and turned up the music, and he saw a knife and a pole that was used to beat people up.
He also said she screamed and was knocked down, and he saw her being beaten and being finished off with a hatchet to the head.
He was the lookout, he helped clean up, and he cleaned the car thoroughly after Miss Manning’s body was dumped in the river, Mr Shamy said.
She was murdered and the men stood around afterwards barking and saying, “Sieg heil.”
Mr Shamy said Fawcett was someone who was deliberate and cold – not someone frightened, panicky or being forced, but a man who wanted to get patched.
Fawcett told police he was haunted by the attack, and told a friend that he had done something bad and couldn’t sleep.
Fawcett also told police that there were plastic bags in the back of the car, and a tarpaulin on the ground, said Mr Shamy. It showed they were ready to murder her and dispose of her items in the plastic bags.
Fawcett told police he was supposed to get patched up, he was supposed to do the hit but he couldn’t follow through, so someone else took it over.
He knew that at least serious violence was going to be done to this woman. He knew why he brought her there. That was the plan, Mr Shamy said.
The jury could convict Fawcett of manslaughter if not satisfied that he knew Miss Manning was going to be murdered, he said.
The defence closing addresses are expected to be heard this afternoon, and Justice Gendall will sum up for the jury on Monday.
Category: Focus
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