THE Ryan O’Connor murder trial got under way this week with the jury hearing an outline of what the prosecution say happened.

It claims the Newport father-of-one was stabbed and robbed by a gang for his Gucci bag and mocked and ridiculed by them as he lay dying.

Lewis Aquilina, 20, of Canton Court, Riverside, Cardiff, Ethan Strickland, 19, of Clos Briallen, Caerau, Cardiff, Elliot Fiteni, 19, of no fixed abode, Kyle Raisis, 18, of Bartley Wilson Way, Canton, Cardiff and Joseph Jeremy, 17, of no fixed abode, Caerphilly, are on trial at Newport Crown Court.

All five defendants deny murder, manslaughter and robbery.

South Wales Argus:

Ryan O’Connor

There had been reporting restrictions preventing the media from naming Jeremy because of his age but they were lifted by the judge, Mr Justice Saini.

The boy is shortly due to become an adult when he turns 18 later this month.

Keep up to date with the latest news from the trial by following our live blog.

Here's what we know so far:

The alleged motive

The prosecution, or the Crown, as they are referred to in court, say the defendants did not know the alleged victim but attacked him because they saw him with a designer man bag walking in the Alway area of Newport at around 9am on Thursday, June 10, 2021.

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It has been put to the jury that the gang travelled to the area simply to commit crime and decided to rob him because of what he was carrying.

Michael Brady QC, prosecuting, said: “All five travelled from Cardiff to Newport in a Ford Fiesta stolen in the early hours of the same day, and on seeing Mr O’Connor wearing a Gucci man bag decided to rob him.

The ‘stabbing’

According to witnesses, the Crown say two or more of them got out of the car and stabbed Mr O’Connor using large, machete-like knives.

One of the wounds pierced his heart.

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Mr Brady said: “At least two defendants left the car armed with newly bought knives used to attack and kill Mr O’Connor.”

‘Victim was mocked and ridiculed’

After the gang allegedly stabbed him, the driver of the car is said to have driven them the wrong way and they went down a dead end.

Mr Brady told the jury of seven men and five women: “The driver of the car was unfamiliar with the area and he drove up Vaughan Williams Drive, a cul-de-sac.

“They then had to turn around and drive back past the fatally wounded Mr O’Connor who was being tended to by members of the public.

“The driver slowed the car down, not out of any concern for Mr O’Connor, but to mock and ridicule him. Laughter was heard coming from within.”

The arrests

People in Alway made a note of the stolen car’s registration number and 45 minutes later police began a high-speed pursuit of the men after the driver refused to stop, the jury were told.

The court heard officers deployed a stinger to deflate the Fiesta’s tyres and the five crashed in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff.

The defendants fled the scene but were soon arrested after a foot chase.

Jeremy was said to have tried to live-stream his arrest, the prosecution added.

What happens next?

The jury are due to go on a site visit on Friday to the scene of the alleged killing at a grassy area on the Aberthaw Road roundabout.

They are due to hear the first evidence in the case from witnesses next Monday morning.

The trial is due to last between six and eight weeks.

The case continues.