Key witness tells murder trial he watched Adam Bennet ‘grind’ rock into Peter Hillier’s face at Poochera
A key witness has told a murder trial he saw an alleged killer straddle his victim and “grind” a rock into his face behind a remote art gallery after a drinking session.
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An alleged murder victim was “groaning badly” after his alleged killer “ground” a rock into his face while sitting on top of him at the rear of a business in remote South Australia, a key witness has told a Supreme Court trial.
Dusty’s Art Gallery owner Ronald Miller – who was in the process of selling his Poochera business and some land to the men – said the trio had been drinking together before alleged murderer Adam Bennett, 44, lashed out at his travelling companion, Peter Hillier, 64.
Mr Miller said the trio had been discussing ideas for the future of the gallery, in the small grain belt town near Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, when an argument broke out on May 29, 2022.
He said he saw Mr Bennett, of Lake Haven in NSW, get up and slap Mr Hillier “over the face with an open hand and told him to shut up and listen”, which had caused his glasses to “fly off” and break.
He said Mr Bennett then left for the local pub to buy a pizza, but returned empty-handed and frustrated some time later.
“He kept drinking for a bit and said ‘right we’re going’,” Mr Miller told the court.
Mr Miller said Mr Hillier refused to leave so Mr Bennett tried to force him into their vehicle but he kept sliding out.
He said after a few attempts to get Mr Hillier into the vehicle, Mr Bennett picked up a nearby rock and was “grinding it into his face” with one hand.
“I eventually kicked it out of his hands,” Mr Miller said.
“Peter was moaning all the time, like a bad moan … a bad groan. He was groaning badly.”
Mr Miller said he did not intervene any further and went home because Mr Bennett had two large dogs.
Mr Bennett has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder over Mr Hillier’s death.
Opening the trial on Monday, Patrick Hill, prosecuting, told the court Mr Bennett and Mr Hillier had been travelling together in a motorhome, and were based at a holiday home in Venus Bay, where Mr Hillier was found dead a day after the argument at Poochera.
Mr Hill had told the court Mr Bennett had “bashed the deceased to death in a drunken rage”.
He said Mr Bennett had told a “spectacular lie” to a triple-0 operator, which was played to the court, about the death of Mr Hillier.
In the call, Mr Bennett told the operator Mr Hillier “sort of just jumped out of the car while he was driving” and he had “sort of run himself over”.
The judge alone trial, before Justice Sandi McDonald without a jury, continues.
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