Accused says he ‘snapped’ before firing

A LOTTAH man accused of murdering his neighbour told a triple-0 operator that the neighbour had turned away from him just before he shot him in the back of the head, the Supreme Court in Launceston has heard.

In a recording played to the jury, Kerry Alexander Bilston, 65, told a Tasmania Police call operator that he “just snapped” and shot his neighbour Dean Manshanden dead with a shotgun.

He has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 47-year-old Mr Manshanden at Lottah on October 15 last year.

Mr Bilston said during the 40-minute call that neighbours had been shooting at him and his partner Kellie Gillies.

“They have been harassing us like you wouldn’t believe,” he said.

‘I just sick and tired of him bullying her [Ms Gillies].

The jury heard evidence on Wednesday that Mr Bilston fetched a gun from inside his house and went up a hill to Mr Manshanden.

The court has also heard previously that Mr Manshanden said: “What’s the problem neighbour?”

“He was sitting on a log and I don’t think he saw I had a gun,” Mr Bilston told the operator.

“I said ‘that’s enough’ and then he saw I had a gun and ducked down — I just lost it.”

The jury heard that Mr Bilston and Ms Gillies had an ongoing feud with Mr Manshanden over a boundary dispute, burning off, loud music and harvesting of firewood from crown land.

Justice Robert Pearce and the jury also heard evidence that Mr Bilston had talked of shooting Mr Manshanden in the days before the alleged murder.

A former friend of the couple, Jason Westbrook, gave evidence of a conversation he had with Ms Gillies after the alleged murder.

The conversation recounted details of a discussion between Ms Gillies and Mr Bilston on October 13

“Kerry said ‘if Dean harasses you, shoot him in the head, shoot him dead’,” Mr Westbrook reported her saying.

Mr Westbrook said he replied to Ms Gillies: “F ... that's cold ... I said ‘no I would shoot him in the leg’ and she said it with a laugh,” Mr Westbrook said Ms Gillies had said.

Ms Gillies denied the conversation when quizzed on it by defence counsel Geoffrey Hoare.