Greg Dufty murder case: Lionel Patea had bloodied hand, according to witness statement

HOODIES, a bloodied hand and the singalong. A police witness statement allegedly details the role Lionel Patea played in the death of Gold Coast father Greg Dufty.

The late Greg Dufty, 37.

HOODIES, a bloodied hand and the singalong.

A police witness statement filed in the committal hearing of a co-accused this week, allegedly details the role of former Bandido Lionel Patea, and his brother Nelson, in the death of Gold Coast father Greg Dufty.

In the statement, Liam Bliss, a long-time friend of Lionel Patea, told police he received a call from Patea for help and drove a car of four men to the Gold Coast Hinterland where a man was allegedly assaulted.

Liam Bliss.

Below is an edited transcript of Bliss’ police witness statement:

“(I) was having a jam session (with friends when) I got a call from Lionel. I think the call would have been around 6.30pm.

“Lionel asked me to come to his house as he needed my help with something. He said he would give me some money if I could him out as someone owed him some money.

“… When I got there I saw Lionel, Nelson and Tara Brown who was Lionel’s girlfriend and a long-time friend of mine. At the house Tara made us a sandwich and after having that Lionel said ‘let’s go’. Tara gave me the keys to her grey Mazda 2 and told me not to let Lionel drive.

“Before we left, Lionel said something like ‘I might have to smoke this (expletive), so just watch over me. If there’s a passenger in his car, just keep as eye on him’.

“I took it to mean that he might assault someone if they didn’t give him what they owed him, whether it be money or drugs.

Nelson Patea.

“We got into the car which was parked in the driveway. I was driving, Lionel was in the front passenger seat, Nelson was behind me and (another man who cannot be named) was behind Lionel.

“I don’t remember what the guys were wearing that night but I’m sure they had hoodies on as Nelson and (the fourth man in the car) took theirs off later in the night.

“We left Lionel’s house and he told me to drive down Maudsland Rd towards Nerang. From there Lionel was on his phone the entire time but I’m not sure who he was speaking with … He asked to use my phone and made a few calls … He was talking to whoever we were meeting as he was asking where we were meeting. Lionel was continuing to direct me where to go and eventually we ended up driving up a road I now know to be Nathan Homestead Rd.

“Lionel told me to pull over as we got to an area where there was a shoulder on the left side of the road. It was really dark as there were no street lights and no lights from houses. There was no one else there … and we all got out of the car. I had a smoke and stayed by the driver’s door that I had left open.

“One of them opened the boot of the car … I think they got a bag out of the boot.

“As I was about to finish my smoke, I saw a car drive up the hill and stop just in behind my car. I’m not sure what type of car it was but it was a big car that was a grey or brown kind of colour. Following the car was a big white truck that parked in behind the other car.

“As the car and truck stopped I saw the driver’s door of the car open and someone got out. It was dark and I couldn’t see properly but the person looked big … it appeared as though Lionel knew this person from the way they interacted.

“I think there was (sic) two people in the truck but again because it was dark I couldn’t get a good look at them. Both doors on the truck opened and I heard people talking.

“They all walked to the left side of the truck and I couldn’t see what they were doing. I wasn’t really interested in looking anyway and to be honest I think I may have been texting on my phone. I stayed with the car and sat back in the driver’s seat.

“At some point, the person from the other car came back to his car and opened the driver’s door. At that stage all the others were still behind the truck, I’m not sure what they were up to. I saw him then leave his car again and walk back to the truck but he returned to his car a short time later.

“Not long after, maybe two to five minutes later Lionel, Nelson and (the other man from the Mazda) came back to the car and I think something was put into the boot but I’m not sure what it was, maybe a bag. Either Nelson or (the other man) had taken off their hoodie which they threw into the boot as well. It could have been both of them but I’m not sure.

“Lionel sat back in the front passenger seat and I noticed that he had blood on his right hand on the fleshy part near his little finger. I remember saying something like ‘what happened’ and Lionel said ‘nothing’. Nelson sat back in the seat behind me and (the other man) was in the seat behind Lionel.

“Lionel told me to drive so I did. He didn’t give any indications that something bad had gone down, he was fine. Nelson and (the other man) didn’t say anything either.

“They were all fine and didn’t make mention that they had assaulted anyone. We were all singing and talking in the car on the way back to Lionel’s.

“… I have seen Lionel, Nelson and (the other man) heaps of times since that night and nothing has ever been mentioned about what happened. I would have thought that Lionel would have told me what happened just to give me a heads up but he has never mentioned it.”