The Crown case against Mark Moreland, Christopher Tippins and Tai Thorp had been that they took part in a joint criminal enterprise out of greed to murder drug dealer Gordon Hamm.

But a Supreme Court jury yesterday found the three men not guilty of murdering Mr Hamm on July 17 last year, but guilty of manslaughter. 

They were remanded by Justice Michael Croucher to appear for a pre-sentence hearing in February.

Mr Hamm, 34, from Mount Gambier, was believed to have been in Portland to buy drugs after earlier winning more than $5000 on the pokies.

The Crown case was that just before 4am on July 17, 2013, a four-wheel-drive being driven by Mr Moreland approached a car in which Mr Hamm was a passenger on the bridge over the Glenelg River at Nelson.

Another car, being driven by Mr Thorp, was then used to box Mr Hamm’s car in. Mr Moreland and Mr Tippins, who had been in Mr Thorp’s car, then allegedly dragged Mr Hamm out of the trapped car.

Crown prosecutor Michele Williams, SC, said the motive to kill Mr Hamm had been money and drugs. “It was the dead of night on a bridge with no escape and the inference, we say, is that they knew (Mr Hamm) had gone to Portland to ‘reload’, that is, to get more drugs. They were part of the drug trade, that’s what they wanted, all three, and (Mr Hamm) was cashed up,” Ms Williams said.

Mr Moreland and Mr Tippins, who had been in Mr Thorp’s car, dragged Mr Hamm out of the car before a shot was fired, Ms Williams said. 

He was repeatedly bashed with the rifle butt and was on his hands and knees when Mr Tippins told Mr Hamm’s driver to “get out of here”. Mr Hamm was “squealing like a pig” at the time, the driver said. 

The prosecutor said Mr Hamm’s screams stopped or trailed off after he was bundled into a car and the three men drove off to get rid of the body, which has not been found.

Defence barrister Theo Kassimatis said Mr Moreland admitted being part of the ambush but not to any agreement to murder Mr Hamm.

“There is no evidence that anyone was shot. There is evidence that a shot was fired. That’s it,” he said.

“He’s supposed to have been shot on that bridge, and there is a few droplets of blood. Where’s the blood ... consistent with murderous intent?”

Defence barrister Scott Johns, for Mr Tippins, said if Mr Hamm had been shot in the leg “he wouldn’t be running from the bridge all the way down the embankment ... Even if he did, there would be a blood trail.

“That evidence, combined with other evidence, tells you he wasn’t shot in the leg or anywhere else. What’s more, he wasn’t beaten to death to the point of fatal injuries.

“You can’t be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that he was killed or acts causing his death occurred at Nelson Bridge and below. If you are not so satisfied, you must acquit.”

- THE AGE