Supreme Court hears victim Bradley Breward told accused murderer Mark Rodney Jones ‘you’re killing me’ during torture

A friend of alleged murder victim Bradley Breward has told a court he pleaded with the accused murder to “let him breathe”.

ALLEGED murder victim Bradley Wade Breward told his alleged killer Mark Rodney Jones “you’re killing me” as he was being tortured with a plastic bag, a court has heard.

Cody James Lee was days shy of his 19th birthday on New Year’s Day 2017, when he was woken in his unit in the Launceston suburb of Newnham by the sound of his back door being slid open.

The Supreme Court in Launceston on Thursday heard Mr Jones, 43, of West Launceston, entered Mr Lee’s unit uninvited on the morning of New Year’s Day with another man, Ricky Izard.

Mr Lee had spent the night before celebrating New Year’s Eve with Mr Breward, 22, and some other friends, before he and Mr Breward became separated from the others and eventually returned to the Newnham unit where they called it a night.

Mr Lee told the court he had heard sounds of someone struggling from the lounge room and, once out of his bedroom, saw Mr Jones standing over Mr Breward, “with his arm around him, trying to choke him”.

The court has previously heard Mr Jones — who has pleaded not guilty to murder — had become “obsessed” with finding his uninsured Nissan Patrol that had gone missing from a roadside at Prospect, and that he believed Mr Breward had stolen it.

Under examination from Director of Public Prosecutions Daryl Coates SC, Mr Lee said Mr Jones and Mr Izard tied Mr Breward up, and that Mr Jones punched and kicked him while demanding he tell them where the ute was.

“And did Mr Breward tell him where his ute was?” Mr Coates asked.

“He said he didn’t know where it was, didn’t know what he was on about,” Mr Lee replied.

Mr Lee told the court Mr Jones placed a plastic shopping bag over Mr Breward’s head for several seconds, before putting a cloth over his face and pouring water over it.

The court heard Mr Breward told Mr Jones “you’re killing me”. Mr Jones replied: “We’re not gonna kill ya.”

Bradley Breward, 22, was allegedly murdered at a Newnham unit on New Year’s Day 2017. Picture: SUPPLIED

Mr Lee estimated the waterboarding lasted 10 to 15 seconds and left Mr Breward “making noises”.

“At that stage, was anything said to [Mr Jones] by anybody else?” Mr Coates asked.

“I think Ricky and me said ‘let him breathe’,” Mr Lee replied.

“And did Mr Jones say anything back?”

“Yeah, he didn’t want him to breathe. He said that he wanted him to sleep.”

Mr Lee said Mr Jones then suffocated Mr Breward with the plastic bag again, counting to 30 seconds, when Mr Breward stopped struggling.

The court was told Mr Jones attempted to give CPR after it became apparent Mr Breward was not breathing, but an ambulance was not called.

Instead, Mr Lee said Mr Jones retrieved a tarp from his car, wrapped it around Mr Breward’s body and emptied a bean bag before placing the body inside and taking it away.

As Mr Jones left the unit, Mr Lee’s grandmother arrived unannounced, intending to help him clean for an upcoming property inspection.

Jurors were taken to the Parklands Parade unit for a viewing on Thursday morning, before Mr Lee gave evidence.

Under cross-examination from Mr Jones’s counsel Greg Richardson, Mr Lee denied playing a greater role in helping dispose of Mr Breward’s body than he had told the court.

He also denied opening the door for Mr Jones to enter the unit that morning, and said he was unaware his then-girlfriend Tina Robertson had agreed to help Mr Jones find Mr Breward in exchange for a reward.

Ms Robertson gave evidence on Wednesday, saying she tipped off Mr Jones to Mr Breward’s whereabouts after Mr Breward laughed at her and insinuated she had slept with another man as she left the unit on the morning of New Year’s Day.

Mr Lee admitted he had discussed the reward with Ms Robertson after a visit from Mr Jones two weeks earlier, but said he had forgotten about it.

“We were going to tell Brad that there was a reward and that he should put the car back so we can get it,” Mr Lee said.

The trial, before Justice Robert Pearce, continues.