Jury told of ex-lover's 'murderous plan'

Sydney woman Louise-Catherine Spiteri-Ahern would once have done anything for her on-again, off-again lover Raymond Pasnin, a jury has heard.

Even after he landed behind bars accused of stabbing her, it is alleged the 25-year-old still dreamed of a reunion, and some day, a family.

Yet when she heard Mr Pasnin had taken up with another woman, Spiteri-Ahern's expressions of "undying love" turned to feelings of anger, scorn, jealousy and thoughts of vengeance.

With the help of another of Mr Pasnin's ex-girlfriends and gunman Daniel Haile, it's alleged Spiteri-Ahern arranged to have the man she once loved gunned down in Pendle Hill in western Sydney as his new girlfriend Lyndal Archbold watched on.

Spiteri-Ahern, Haile, Mr Pasnin's former partner April Barber and Barber's then-partner Amin Zraika are all facing trial in the NSW Supreme Court over the alleged murder shortly before midnight on October 30, 2013.

On the first day of what is expected to be a six-week trial, Haile's barrister Ertunc Ozen told the court Haile admitted firing on Mr Pasnin but he had been acting in self-defence.

Mr Ozen described his client as a "successful drug dealer" who did not need the paltry $4000 he is alleged to have been paid to kill Mr Pasnin.

The barrister told the jury Haile knew Spiteri-Ahern, but had gone to speak with Mr Pasnin about something completely unrelated on the night of the shooting.

"Things got very much out of hand very quickly," Mr Ozen said.

"During the course of the struggle, I expect the evidence will be, he disarmed the deceased and discharged the bullet which eventually killed the deceased."

But the Crown says Spiteri-Ahern was responsible for arranging the hit and that she was caught on a tapped phone call telling a friend she had "paid him the four grand", in what is alleged to be a reference to her payment to Haile.

The young woman is said to have been deeply affected by the breakdown of her relationship with Mr Pasnin, and by an abortion she had after falling pregnant to him.

"I did everything you ever asked of me, including killing my baby. I have to live with that every day," she is said to have told Mr Pasnin in one text message.

Prosecutor David Patch told the jury Spiteri-Ahern had sent another text message to Mr Pasnin in the months before his death telling him: "Oh boy, you deserve EVERYTHING that is coming. Delete my number, everything, and sleep with one eye open, c***."

But according to Spiteri-Ahern's counsel James Trevallion, their dysfunctional relationship had come to an end by May 2013 and Spiteri-Ahern had "moved on" with a new partner.

Although the Crown says Barber was instrumental in setting up Mr Pasnin to be killed, her lawyer April Francis has told the court she was "entirely in the dark" about any murder plan.

The trial continues before Acting Justice Robert Shallcross Hulme on Thursday, with Ms Archbold expected to be first witness.