Men were armed with axes, knives, machetes, in Alice Springs murder case, prosecutors say
Three men charged over an alleged murder were armed with an arsenal of weapons when they confronted people they believed had thrown rocks at one of their homes, according to the prosecution.
Police & Courts
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THREE men charged over the alleged murder of a 36-year-old Alice Springs man were armed with an arsenal of weapons when they confronted people they believed had thrown rocks at one of their homes, according to the prosecution.
Benjamin Martin, 45, Ronald Martin, 40, and Jeremy Scrutton, 41, face murder charges over an incident at a Gillen home in June last year, where the nephew of CLP Senate candidate Jacinta Price died. The NT News has not named him for cultural reasons.
In the prosecution’s outline, it is alleged that Scrutton, in the early hours of June 5, went with his son to collect Benjamin and Ronald Martin – as well as six other men – from the Hidden Valley town camp in order to confront the people he believed responsible for throwing rocks at his Gillen residence earlier in the night.
It is further alleged the group armed themselves with a slew of weapons, including axes, knives, machetes, nulla nullas (wooden clubs or sticks), and iron bars.
Allegedly, the group of 10, travelling in a Holden Commodore and Astra, pulled up near the house and began “yelling out” as they approached the front gates where the now deceased man was with his partner and 19 others, including six children under the age of 10.
Police claim members of the group began to smash windows of a car parked in the driveway, while others allegedly began to strike the house with weapons.
At this point, it’s alleged the now deceased man walked out the back door to tell the group to leave.
Allegedly armed with a white-handled “butcher-style knife”, police claim Benjamin Martin approached the man and stabbed him in the back of his left thigh, causing him to fall to the ground, with blood spraying on to the walls of the house and leaving spatter on Benjamin Martin’s clothes and shoes.
Police allege that Ronald Martin and Scrutton also stabbed the man and group members hit him with a metal pole and/or a shovel.
The prosecution say neighbours heard the disturbance and phoned police as the group left the location.
People from inside the residence came out to tend to the man, who was “bleeding and moaning”, prosecutors say.
Police and ambulance attended soon after, but the man died at the scene.
Meanwhile, the fleeing group allegedly disposed of their weapons in yards along the street and Scrutton hid a knife in some bushes.
The prosecution will allege blood and fingerprints found on weapons and clothing of the accused tie them to the incident.
The committal hearing has been adjourned until Wednesday, when forensic experts will give evidence.
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