6 Mar 2015

Accused pair 'wanted similar tattoos'

9:04 pm on 6 March 2015

A tattoo artist has described how two men accused of murder asked him for similar tattoos just a few days after their alleged victim's burnt body was found in Auckland.

Shivneel Kumar (left) and Bryne Permal (far right) in Auckland High Court.

Shivneel Kumar (left) and Bryne Permal (far right) in Auckland High Court. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

The Crown says 21-year old Shalvin Prasad was burnt alive in January, 2013, for the $30,000 he had withdrawn from his bank account.

Shalvin Prasad

Shalvin Prasad Photo: NZ Police

Shivneel Kumar and Bryne Permal, both in their early 20s, deny charges of murder.

At the High Court in Auckland today, tattoo artist Dave Ansted said two men came into his tattoo parlour in early February two years ago.

"They both wanted similar tattoos and they just wanted to get what we call geometric patterns - tribal-type tattoos."

He said they wanted the tattoos on their upper bodies, "the shoulder, chest, arm area".

Mr Ansted said the tattoos cost $350 each, and took about two hours, during which the men mostly stayed with each other.

A page in an evidence booklet in court, showing one of the two tattoos referred to by a witness in court today.

A page in an evidence booklet in court, showing one of the two tattoos referred to by a witness in court today. Photo: SUPPLIED

A page in an evidence booklet in court, showing one of the two tattoos referred to by a witness in court today.

Photo: SUPPLIED

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