Falconio accused 'dobbed in mate'

Bradley John Murdoch told family friends he dobbed in his drug smuggling business partner to police, a court has heard.

Benjamin Kotz today told the Northern Territory Supreme Court that Murdoch was "pretty distraught" when he visited his parent's Adelaide home in mid-2002.

"He said that he'd done something wrong," Mr Kotz said.

"He'd dobbed in his Kiwi mate."

Murdoch, 47, has pleaded not guilty to murdering 28-year-old tourist Peter Falconio beside the outback Stuart Highway in July 2001.

He also has denied assaulting the Briton's girlfriend Joanne Lees and depriving her of her liberty.

The court has previously heard Murdoch and New Zealand-born James Hepi ran drugs between Sedan in South Australia and Broome in Western Australia.

The prosecution alleges Murdoch killed Mr Falconio after pulling the British couple over on Stuart Highway during one such trip.

Murdoch and Hepi had a falling out at the end of December 2001, and Mr Hepi was arrested in May 2002, the court has heard.

Mr Hepi testified against Murdoch earlier in the trial, saying he saw Murdoch making cable-tie hand-cuffs and had a conversation with him about the best place to bury a body in the desert.

The trial continues.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Tue, 22 Nov 2005
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Website: http://smh.com.au/
Author: Australian Associated Press