A man has been found guilty of murder over the death of an associate who was doused in petrol and set alight twice in a disused quarry near Newcastle.
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Troy McCosker, 51, pleaded not guilty to murdering Wade Still and to the alternative charge of laying an explosive substance, being petrol, in front of Mr Still with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The 23-year-old victim managed to name his killer, a friend of McCosker's, and the fact he "poured petrol on me" after he was first set alight at Whitebridge, near Newcastle, in 2018.
McCosker's murder charge was based on the Crown allegation that he was part of a joint criminal enterprise with the killer, who cannot be named, to "finish off" Mr Still.
The Newcastle Supreme Court jury retired on Thursday and on Friday returned a guilty verdict to murder.
Prosecutor Chris Maxwell QC said the killer set fire to Mr Still in a disused quarry on August 20 after an argument.
An elderly couple driving home saw a badly injured and barely clothed Mr Still emerge from bushes with his arms and legs covered in mud soon after he had been burnt.
He was yelling, waving his arms above his head and running towards the couple who kept driving before contacting police.
Mr Maxwell said McCosker became involved in the murder when the killer rang him to pick him up to help him get more petrol for his motorbike.
The prosecutor said the killer claimed the pair went to the Whitebridge cemetery where he told McCosker what he had done and asked if they should call an ambulance or finish Mr Still off before going to get the petrol.
Mr Maxwell said McCosker drove the killer back to near where Mr Still was lying badly injured.
McCosker stayed in the car as the killer got out and poured petrol on or near Mr Still and set him alight again.
He later told police the killer then told him to "just go, just drive".
McCosker claimed he was sitting in his car "completely oblivious" to what was happening after the killer had been gone for about five minutes.
Defence barrister Terrence Healey said McCosker had no idea Mr Still had been previously set alight and did not know what the killer was going to do with the petrol.
Justice Robert Hulme adjourned the case for a sentence hearing on December 14.
Australian Associated Press
