The eight recordings allegedly of Owen Laurie, heard by the coronial inquest into Mr Moriarty's disappearance and suspected death in the Katherine Local Court on Tuesday, were obtained over several months from listening devices planted in Mr Laurie's home in Larrimah, around 200km south of Katherine.

Mr Laurie, a tall elderly man with a grey handlebar moustache, a forward-leaning gait and a muffled-sounding voice, took the witness stand on Tuesday afternoon.

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In one recording taken on February 23, 2018 and played to the inquest, Mr Laurie is allegedly heard saying "f***ing kill a bastard...f***ing killed Paddy, doonged him on the head."

"Smacked him on the f***ing nostrils with me claw hammer."

Mr Laurie was working as a gardener for Mr Moriarty's long-time neighbour and the owner of Larrimah's Teahouse, Fran Hodgetts, at the time of Mr Moriarty's disappearance on December 16, 2017.

Both Mr Moriarty and his Kelpie dog Kellie have never been seen again after leaving the local pub around 6pm that evening, despite extensive search efforts and police putting up a $250,000 reward for information that cracks the case.

An inquest into his death began in 2018 but was adjourned indefinitely after almost all of the dozen or so residents of Larrimah gave evidence.

Counsel assisting the Coroner, Kelvin Currie, told the inquest on Tuesday that detectives had listened to the recordings from Mr Laurie's home, which were at times hard to understand, to decipher what was said.

In one recording, taken on January 29, 2018, Mr Laurie is allegedly heard to say "tell 'em how I hit you with a f***ing hammer" and in another from February 14, 2018 he allegedly said "well they didn't f***ing find the hammer, well they can't get me for anything."

"I never said that, I don't know where that came from," Mr Laurie said after the alleged transcript from the first transcript was read to him.

In another recording, Mr Laurie is allegedly heard strumming a guitar and singing "I killerated old Paddy...I struck him of the f***ing head and killerated him...basherated him."

Mr Laurie sat back in his chair, staring ahead as he listened to the rest of the recordings, and then indicated he no longer wished to comment.

"You wish to remain silent on the basis that any answers may incriminate you?" Coroner Greg Cavanagh asked Mr Laurie, with Mr Laurie indicating that was the case.

Mr Currie asked if Mr Laurie had told police the truth throughout the investigation, with Mr Laurie again exercising his right to silence.

While on the witness stand, both Mr Laurie and his boss Ms Hodgetts were asked about various feuds that took place between Mr Hodgetts and Mr Moriarty over the years, often involving Ms Hodgetts accusing Mr Moriarty of poisoning her plants.

Mr Laurie confirmed that he had commented while planting a new set of flowers that if they were poisoned it would result in "the first murder in Larrimah."

However, he said the comment was made as a joke.

Earlier in the day, witness Wayne Ledwidge told the inquest he was with his neighbour, Brian Roberts, in Katherine some time in 2017 when they bumped into someone he later identified as Fran Hodgetts.

Mr Ledwidge said he heard Ms Hodgetts tell Mr Roberts she was willing to pay $10,000 to "get rid of" someone who was "giving her a hard time."

In her evidence, Ms Hodgetts denied offering anyone money to have Mr Moriarty killed.

"I can tell you now I never ever ever ever paid anyone to bump Paddy off and I can swear to God on my mother's grave," she said.

Officer in Charge, Detective Sergeant Matthew Allen, told the inquest phone and financial records indicated it was possible that Ms Hodgetts, Mr Roberts and Mr Ledwidge had crossed paths in Katherine, but police did not have "any information" that suggests Mr Roberts was involved in Mr Moriarty's disappearance.

Mr Cavanagh is expected to hand down his findings on Thursday.

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