A sports trainer accused of being involved in murdering a man in his Lake Illawarra home was captured in recorded jail calls saying "I never walked in that joint" and "I never hurt that man".
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"I didn't do nothing but they got me for murder and the other people are outside doing what they want to do," Staff told his sister after his arrest.
"They need more evidence," his sister replied.
Staff faced the Supreme Court in Wollongong on Monday for the sixth day of his trial, where a dozen tapped and recorded phone calls were played to the jury.
The 67-year-old Warilla man has pleaded not guilty to murder.
Matthew Davis, 31, was found dead inside his home at 7 Thomas Street wearing a blood-stained Oodie on August 23, 2021, after his mother texted one of his friends out of concern for his welfare.
Two nights prior, three men were captured on CCTV footage walking towards Mr Davis' home.
Fifteen minutes later, two men returned. The Crown alleges Staff was seen in the footage five hours later.
A post-mortem revealed Mr Davis suffered blunt force trauma to his face, with a ligature mark around his neck.
Detectives tapped Staff's mobile phone after traces of his DNA were located under Mr Davis' fingernails and on a bloodied tea towel found in the laundry.
Police issued CCTV footage to the media in a public appeal to identify the three men captured walking along King Street before turning on to Thomas Street.
Staff was heard in a call to his then partner Jansel Arif discussing the footage.
"I can't wait to get called in by the f---ing coppers because you know what, that video shows f--- all," he said.
"It's just dudes walking down the f---in' street."
He was heard telling Ms Arif, who lived near Mr Davis, that the only time he would be walking down that street would be to walk to her house.
Staff was arrested at his home in Belfast Avenue in May 2022.
He was heard in recorded calls while on remand in the following months discussing suspect Kevin Lightowlers, who he referred to as KJ. Mr Lightowlers has not been charged.
"They've said I was holding the bloke while KJ's punching him. I never walked in the joint," Staff told his sister in June 2022.
Staff's sister and Ms Arif encouraged him to speak to police about KJ, however Staff was recorded saying, "The thing is if you rat people out in jail, then you're a f---in' dog".
He maintained that he never hurt Mr Davis.
"All I done was I tried to help. And because I tried to help, my DNA is on that man," Staff told Ms Arif in July 2022.
"I checked his pulse ... and that other c--- that's out there is buying cars and driving around while I'm in here."
In another call, Staff told Ms Arif: "People who know me know that I'm not capable of doing anything like that."
"I f---in' know exactly what happened and I didn't f---in' hurt nobody," he said.
"I was there after the fact and yes I had an involvement in that f---in' process."
Staff said the other two men walked into Mr Davis' house and that he went inside after they left.
"Those two walked in the f---in' house," he told Ms Arif, saying he walked in the opposite direction.
"I was only in after ... I wanted to check what was going on."
The issue for the jury to determine is what role, if any, Staff played in the death of Mr Davis, and that if there was a plan to assault him, whether he knew the extent Mr Davis would be assaulted.
The trial continues.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
