COURT TOLD OF HAMMER BLOW

Two people saw cannabis dealer Philip John Cowan bashed with a hammer
in a central Wellington car-groomer's yard, a jury has been told.

In the High Court at Wellington yesterday, prosecutor Cameron Mander
said the two witnesses were expected to give evidence - one of them
under immunity from prosecution - during the trial of three men
accused of murdering Mr Cowan.

Justice Durie suppressed the names of both witnesses.

Some evidence pointed to one of the accused, car-groomer Danny
Clifford Condren, owing Mr Cowan $40,000 to $50,000 for cannabis, Mr
Mander said.

Condren, 43, of Island Bay, Bartley Edward Kelly, 35, a sickness
beneficiary who lived next to Condren's car-grooming yard, and Sonny
Crawford, 44, a beneficiary of Upper Hutt, have pleaded not guilty to
the alleged murder on March 25, 2001. Mr Cowan's body has not been
found. Police did not become involved till May 2001.

Mr Mander said Mr Cowan was growing cannabis commercially in Hawke's
Bay and would sell it in Wellington to Condren and others. On March
25, Condren and Mr Cowan argued at Condren's business in Abel Smith
St.

One of the witnesses approached police in May this year, after
repeatedly denying he knew anything about Mr Cowan's disappearance. He
said Crawford held Mr Cowan from behind while Kelly hit him with a
hammer. Condren, Kelly and Crawford all kicked Mr Cowan while he was
on the ground and Condren said he was dead.

The body was wrapped in sheets and put in Mr Cowan's car. The witness
would say bags of cash were found in the car.

Condren told the witness to keep his mouth shut. Some weeks later he
was told the building where the killing happened had been treated with
chemicals and steam-cleaned, Mr Mander said.

The other witness would also describe Kelly hitting Mr Cowan's head
with a hammer. Condren took charge of the clean-up operation, Mr
Mander said.

When Mr Cowan's car was found in a side street in Bulls, dna testing
showed his blood was in the boot.

The Crown is expecting to call 120 witnesses during the trial, which
might last several weeks.

The first witness, Detective David White, was referred in
cross-examination to media releases from police after Mr Cowan's
disappearance. One said Mr Cowan might have had up to $150,000 in cash
on him when he went missing, and cannabis that could have sold for
$15,000 to $20,000. In a later release police said they were offering
$50,000 for information leading to the conviction of anyone
responsible for Mr Cowan's death.