Reporter investigating Michael McGrath death suspected angry texts were from murder-accused, court told

A former Stuff reporter who received angry text messages about missing Christchurch carpenter Michael McGrath suspected the texter was the eventual murder-accused, David Charles Benbow.

The Crown alleges Benbow, 54, invited his childhood friend McGrath, 49, to his lifestyle block in Candys Rd, in Halswell, Christchurch, on May 22, 2017, to help him move railway sleepers.

McGrath had begun dating Benbow’s ex-partner Joanna Green and he was not keen on going to Benbow’s house.

Benbow, a former prison guard, is accused of using his .22 semi-automatic rifle to fatally shoot McGrath at the property. The weapon and McGrath’s body have never been found.

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Sam Sherwood said he had worked on the McGrath story for Stuff from when he went missing in 2017, the High Court in Christchurch heard on Wednesday.

He obtained Benbow’s cellphone number in March 2018 and called him for an interview because he was a person of interest but had not been arrested. Benbow did not want to make a comment.

He then sent him a text and mentioned wanting to speak to him about his feeling he was the victim of a witch-hunt.

On March 16, 2018, Sherwood received text messages from an unknown party who described themself as Benbow’s friend and later as “Nigel”.

The first message said Joanna Green had triggered the investigation, had a chronic drinking problem and could on occasion be violent.

As the text dialogue continued, “Nigel” said police had never searched Green’s rental house and car, and mentioned she was a person of interest too, Sherwood said.

“Nigel” described the media coverage as “one dimensional, eg witch-hunt”.

Sherwood said he asked how Benbow was coping and Nigel replied that Benbow had his life turned upside down, “300 days without any evidence, I don’t think he’s that clever”.

“Look at the way you have treated David. They are not looking outside the box.”

A text message said Benbow hadn’t had “the chance to grieve over his missing friend”.

“Michael is no angel,” one text said.

Sherwood suspected the messages were coming from Benbow because the texter had used the word witch-hunt and contained information only a small group of people would know.

In cross-examination, Sherwood told defence counsel Marc Corlett KC that the story generated intense media interest.

Much of the media focus was on McGrath and Benbow did become part of the interest, he said.

As part of his inquiries he had rung Benbow’s mother, Shirley, and she did not want to comment.

He became aware Benbow was running a business called Appliances for Rent and contacted both of its directors and the business office.

Stuff had obtained a photograph of Benbow leaving the auction house where his house was sold because not many photographs of Benbow were available.

Corlett went through a number of Stuff stories where connection between Benbow and McGrath was traversed.