A 61-year-old is on trial for manslaughter after his 23 dogs mauled and killed Neville Thomson

Open Justice reports Abel Wira had been living on Thomson's property with the dogs, when they killed him in August 2022.

At the High Court at Whangarei yesterday, Thomson's partner recalled hearing him over the phone yell at the pack of barking dogs - before the line went silent.

Three hours later he was confirmed dead.

The Crown says Wira's failure to care for the dangerous dogs led to Thomson's death, but the defence argues it was a tragic accident.