Gold Coast dad Greg Dufty's best mate organised for him to be brutally bashed and then callously burnt his body after he died.
Aaron John Crawford, from Auckland, is being sentenced for the manslaughter of the pool builder in July 2015 and then interfering with his corpse.
He pleaded guilty to the charges yesterday, alongside Lionel Patea, who admitted murdering Mr Dufty, and his brother Nelson Patea, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
During sentencing in the Brisbane Supreme Court today, the court heard Lionel Patea would spend at least 30 years behind bars for killing Mr Dufty and Patea's former partner Tara Brown two months later.
He was sentenced for that offence in February 2017.
Crown prosecutor Glen Cash QC said Crawford had a cannabis crop in NSW, of which Mr Dufty was also involved.
Mr Cash said Crawford organised for his friend to be beaten after he stole some of the marijuana and took it up to Cairns to be sold.
"It seems it was intended to settle a debt which amounted to $17,000," he said.
The court heard Crawford took Mr Dufty to a secluded location on the night of July 6, where they were met by the Patea brothers and a group of other men.
Lionel Patea hit him in the back of the head with a 40cm spanner.
When he fell to the ground the gang continued to kick and assault him until he was unconscious.
The court heard Mr Dufty was handcuffed and put into his friend's vehicle.
Crawford tried to wake him in a nearby truck yard but, when he realised he was dead, put his body into the back of his truck and drove to the NSW property.
Mr Cash said trees had recently been cleared and there was a pile of timber ready to be set alight.
"Mr Dufty's remains were burnt to the point where there was nothing left to be found," he said.
The sentence continues.
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