A dispute over a caravan left a man with deep lacerations to his skull, fractured ribs, a puncture wound through the shoulder and five defendants facing charges of aggravated robbery.

At least that's what the Crown has alleged at the start of a High Court trial in Rotorua for the five defendants.

Defence lawyers, however, promised the jury of six men and six women 'twists and turns” and the possibility of complainants with 'a good reason to lie”.

Bernard Monk, Michelle Monk, Jordan Para, Anthony Peeti​ and Odean​ Thompson are all on trial having entered not guilty pleas to one charge each of aggravated burglary.

Prosecutor Duncan McWilliam opened the Crown case against the five on Wednesday for the trial that is expected to last two weeks.

He said the defendants arrived at the McLaren's Fall Rd property of Mark Breingan​ and partner Lisa Mercer on January 25 last year, announcing their arrival with three words.

'You owe us.”

What came next, according to McWilliams, was an alleged assault that left injuries including deep lacerations to the skull, fractures to the ribs and around the nose and eyes and 'a puncture wound right through the shoulder”.

McWilliam also claimed that in the wake of the alleged assault against Breingan​ and Mercer, one of the group pointed out Michelle Monk.

'Now you know why we're here.”

McWilliam said that comment was 'a clear reference to Bernard Monk [her brother].”

He said that while Bernard Monk was not present at the time, he directed the alleged offending and 'he engaged them [co-defendants] as the muscle in this exercise”.

He also said he was known to Breingan.

The root cause, he said, was Bernard Monk wanting the return of a caravan he had left on the property some years ago.

McWilliam also told the jury that two other people were charged in the wake of the alleged offending, David Timoti​ and William Reid.

He said neither were in court as they had both entered guilty pleas to their aggravated burglary charges.

McWilliam also told the jury they would hear evidence from neighbouring orchard workers who arrived on the scene after hearing yelling.

He said they did not see any violence, but did see a man 'bleeding heavily from the head”.

Bernard Monk's lawyer Scott McColgan​ also addressed the jury, telling them that 'nothing that happened at McLaren's Fall Rd on the morning of 25 January 2021 was at Mr Monk's urging, instruction or suggestion”.

'All Mr Monk wanted to do was uplift his property, a caravan and a bus, that he has lent Mr Breingan”.

He said there was no unlawful purpose in seeking the return of his property, and 'no violence was ever intended, orchestrated or desired”.

'They'd been good friends up to this point. All he wanted was his property back.”

McColgan also asked the jury whether he would have sent his own sister if violence had been planned.

He also told the jury that over the coming weeks there would be 'twists and turns” at the trial, and that they may ask whether Breingan and Mercer 'can be trusted”.

'It will become crystal clear they had an extremely strong motive to lie and exaggerate about what happened that day.”

Michelle Monk's lawyer Gowan​ Duff made a similar claim when he addressed the jury.

'The complainants have a good reason to lie.”

The trial is set to continue and is expected to last two weeks.

Benn Bathgate/Stuff