Man planned to steal rifle for protection in Tasmania

A man on trial for murder claims he went to a deceased man's house in Tasmania to steal an AK-47 for protection against drug dealers. Dane Ronald Pyke, 28, and Blaise Christopher Baddeley, 35, are accused of murdering Dean Jupp on January 23, 2022, at his home in Sprent. Both men deny the charges and say they were only there to steal guns. During the trial, Pyke told the court he was threatened by drug dealers and had been shot at multiple times. He said a man named Mitchell Flanigan informed him about a possible location to find the assault rifle. Pyke claims the plan to go to Jupp's property was to protect himself, not to hurt anyone. Witnesses have testified that they did not expect Jupp to be home when they arrived. However, Pyke said he saw Jupp in the driveway. Prosecutors suggest that Pyke and Baddeley were ready to use violence to get into the gun safe, but Pyke denied this. He insisted that Jupp was not seriously hurt when they left the scene. The court has heard evidence of Jupp's severe injuries, with one prosecutor showing a graphic photo of the victim's body. Pyke admitted to setting a fire in Jupp's car to destroy evidence but claimed he did not harm Jupp. He also discarded stolen items and the pants he wore that had Jupp's blood on them. Closing statements in the trial will begin next week.