A NEWPORT drug dealer “orchestrated” the beating of a customer that owed him money and who was later fatally stabbed by his business partner, a jury heard.

‘Hard man’ John Junior Phillips, known as JJ, is accused of murdering Anthony Winter and rained more than 25 punches down on him, a co-defendant told Cardiff Crown Court.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said during his evidence that the drug addict was “battered” by Phillips, 28, formerly of Baird Close, Malpas.

The teenager said Mr Winter was savagely attacked by Phillips at the flat he shared in the St Julians area of Newport at Munnings Drive with his then girlfriend Lauren Hutchinson.

The boy added that after this hiding, the 32-year-old was later stabbed by James Jones, known as Flames, in the St Mellons area of Cardiff.

The teenager said the father-of-one had owed Jones and Phillips money and that the two were involved together in a “drug enterprise”.

Jones, aged 19, of Bedwas Close, St Mellons has admitted murder.

Phillips, the boy and a 17-year-old girl, who also cannot be named, deny murdering Mr Winter who was from the Llanedeyrn area of Cardiff.

Hutchinson and the girl have both admitted perverting the course of justice.

Prosecutor Christopher Clee QC has told the jury Mr Winter was lured to the flat in St Julians on November 21 last year where he was "tortured" because he owed an unpaid drug debt of around £500.

The court heard how the addict was expecting a bank transfer at midnight on November 22 and that he was willing to pay the outstanding debt.

But the boy told the court that when telephone calls to his bank to move the cash proved unsuccessful, Phillips took his top off and announced "nobody get involved" before he launched a brutal attack on Mr Winter, punching him around 25 times in "flurries" of three and four blows at a time to the face, head and body.

The teenager said he didn’t try to stop Phillips because he was scared of his “reputation”.

He added that Phillips was known for being “a really hard bloke” and was afraid of what might happen to him if he became involved.

William Hughes QC, defending Phillips, put it to the boy that his client had been in the bedroom when Mr Winter was attacked and accused the teenager of striking him.

The teenager replied that he never hit him and told the barrister: “He wasn’t in the bedroom. JJ was in the living room orchestrating the beating.”

He added: “There were at least 25 punches. Hard punches, both hands and elbow. To the face, both sides. To the head, both sides. To the body.”

Mr Winter was found fatally injured on a pathway near Brookfield Drive in St Mellons just before 7.15am on Thursday, November 22.

Proceeding.