The close friend of a man who was beaten and stabbed to death at her southwest Sydney home has spoken of the terrifying night she thought was her last.
The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Supreme Court jury on Friday she had known her "good friend" Jamie Phillips for about three years prior to his death.
The 46-year-old's naked body was found in a vacant Campbelltown lot on October 25, 2018.
Barry Paul Cavanagh and Nathan McIvor, both 38, and Sean David O'Keefe, 39, have pleaded not guilty to his murder.
Forensic evidence from all three men was found at the crime scene while Cavanagh and McIvor's were located on Phillips' body.
The witness is giving evidence after pleading guilty to destroying CCTV footage recorded at her house on the night in question.
A day before Mr Phillips died from a stab wound to the heart he visited the witness in a "strung out, delusional and paranoid" state, the witness said.
After going out that evening she made a call to a friend but Cavanagh, who she had met briefly once before, picked up.
After travelling with all three accused to her home she confronted the man she thought she was calling, who assured her the men were long-time mates he had met in jail.
She told the court the "rowdy" men had spent some time in her shed before she asked the friend to get them to leave, unaware Mr Phillips was also present.
But the group retreated inside a bedroom in her home where she heard banging noises, loud thumps, and voices yelling.
"I'm yelling out 'what's going on in there?' and I've come out banging on the bedroom door ... I tried to turn the handle but it was locked," the witness said.
She recalled hearing Cavanagh's voice saying "Shut the f*** up," McIvor say "you want to play games?", and O'Keefe say "be quiet", within the room.
Feeling scared she said she retreated into her room and was followed by O'Keefe and McIvor, holding a knife, who warned her to remain quiet.
The Crown argues the men acted in a joint criminal enterprise to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Phillips through a "sustained or prolonged physical assault" that led to Cavanagh pulling out the knife that ultimately killed the victim, the Crown submits.
The punch-up started because Cavanagh and O'Keefe stole the drug ice from Mr Phillips who tried to grab it back, Crown prosecutor Chris Taylor said.
O'Keefe's lawyer Richard Pontello SC submits his client was the one who stabbed Mr Phillips in self-defence.
But the trial expects to hear from other witnesses who say Cavanagh confessed to the murder, and that a pressured O'Keefe put up his hand thinking he would be 'looked after by the other boys'.
The witness alleged that later in the evening she glimpsed inside the bedroom where a body lay face down, wearing the same "fluorescent-like orange joggers" she had previously seen on Mr Phillips.
She was then locked back inside her bedroom while O'Keefe stood outside crying.
She heard Cavanagh say "get your shit together bro" and "should we take her out too?".
"O'Keefe said 'she doesn't know anything don't hurt her'," the witness said.
When she was let out, only Cavanagh remained in the hallway, with drops of blood on his shoes.
"Sorry about us boys making that noise and stuff," he allegedly said.
"Absolutely terrified", she said she ran his shoes under water before he left.
The trial continues.
Australian Associated Press
