A love-sick man accused of murdering four men during a shooting spree across Darwin says drug dealers were sexually exploiting his estranged girlfriend.

October 1, 2021

A love-sick man accused of murdering four men as he rampaged across Darwin trying to find his estranged girlfriend says drug dealers were sexually exploiting her.

Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder and 10 other serious charges during a drug-fuelled shooting spree on June 4, 2019.

In the days after, the 47-year-old told police he had been trying to help his former girlfriend, Kelly Collins, beat drug addiction before the killings.

But men she associated with were feeding her drugs and had manipulated her back into prostitution.

“The hold that (Methamphetamine) and these dirty f***ing pimps and the dealer mates situation that she walks into, it goes on for weeks,” he said in a recording played to the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

“They’re all involved in the is drug trade that Kelly has struggled to break away from.”

He described Ms Collins as an “ex-working girl” who suffered a “rapid decline” after she was preyed upon by the drug dealers in recent months

“I f***ing struggled to get her in the right situation,” he said.

“Two people trying to get somewhere and everyone else was interfering. Interfering to the point where they were abusing her … Drugging her and porn-ing her out.

“Not only is it evil, it’s a crime.”

During the interviews, Hoffmann asked about the shootings and a man named Alex, to which the officer replied: “Nobody by the name of Alex was involved”.

“This one particular dealer and pimp, the particular pimp that we’re talking about, he has deliberately gone out of his way to f***ing to interfere,” he said.

Prosecutor Lloyd Babb SC has previously said Hoffmann was searching for Ms Collins and Alex Deligiannis on June 4.

Hoffmann also told the officers “he was out of his mind” and temporarily insane when the alleged shootings happened.

“I’m really worried I won’t be able to explain the f***ing intensity of the s*** I’ve been going through over the last few months,” he said in recordings of interviews played for the jury.

“The lead-up to what happened drove me insane. I was totally out of my mind when these instances happened. I was a complete f***wit that day.”

Hoffmann allegedly shot dead Hassan Baydoun, 33, at the Palms Motel and Nigel Hellings, 75, at an apartment complex.

Michael Sisois, 57, died at The Buff Club and Rob Courtney, 52, was stabbed more than 30 times and shot dead at Darwin Recycling.

The trial continues on Friday.