Stuart Pilkington, SC, was representing Eastman during the inquest into the death, and had written a letter to the Australian Federal Police in 1989, asking that they not go to his client's house to return some property they had taken.

In an affidavit submitted to the Eastman inquiry, Mr Pilkington said he remembers the phone ringing as he sat at his dining room table with his wife and friends after a game of squash.

He said he recognised the voice as Detective Sergeant Richard Ninness, head of Operation Peat, the team assigned to the 1989 murder of Colin Stanley Winchester.

''He sounded affected by alcohol and I could hear the background noises in the call, which sounded like he was calling from a pub,'' Mr Pilkington wrote in his affidavit.

Mr Pilkington said Commander Ninness said words to the effect of: ''I got your f---ing letter. If I want to talk to your little c--- of a client, I'll f---ing well talk to him whenever I f---ing well like.

''You can stick your f---ing letter where it hurts most.''

He said the voice was so loud that his friends could overhear the ''tenor of the abuse''.

Mr Pilkington gave evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the inquiry heard from the AFP officer in charge of the crime scene the night Mr Winchester was murdered.

Peter Nelipa, the lead forensic officer on the case, spoke of his concerns about the actions of a key forensic expert, Robert Barnes, whose analysis of gunshot residue would later prove damning of Eastman.

He said Mr Barnes was standing right next to the driver's side door of the Ford in which Mr Winchester was shot.

Mr Nelipa said Mr Barnes then put his hand on top of the car.

He said he immediately knocked his hand off, telling him, ''Fingerprints.''

The officer was questioned about another encounter he had with Mr Barnes in 1991, two years later.

He said Mr Barnes was ''agitated'' and had struck the bonnet of a car with his hand, saying words to the effect of: ''Why aren't they arresting Eastman on the basis of the scientific evidence?''

Mr Nelipa also spoke of other concerns about the disturbance of the crime scene on the night of the murder.

He said there were large numbers of police and emotions were running high.

''A senior officer was shot, a friend and colleague to many. It was always going to be a difficult scene to manage,'' he said.

He said he had to take a list of 81 police officers to exclude them from any fingerprints found at the scene.

Mr Nelipa said when he arrived, there were about 20 people and an ambulance on Mr Winchester's neighbour's driveway, where he had been shot.

He said he could not say that contamination had occurred, but said the scene was disturbed.

The lead forensic officer also said he became concerned that prosecutors appeared to believe Mr Barnes was in charge of the forensic investigation.

The inquiry continues on Thursday before Acting Justice Brian Martin.