THE jury in the Ryan O’Connor murder trial was due to hear evidence for the first time today but the case was adjourned until later this week.

The prosecution had been scheduled to call eyewitnesses to the alleged robbery and murder of the father-of-one in Newport.

But the city’s crown court was told the trial could not continue until Thursday.

The judge, Mr Justice Saini, told the jury: “Unfortunately, we are not going to be able to proceed because we are dealing with practicalities.”

He then sent the jurors, seven men and five women, home for the day at around 11.20am.

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The trial is due to resume at 10.30am on Thursday morning.

Four men and a boy are on trial accused of the murder, robbery and manslaughter of Mr O’Connor on the night of Thursday, June 10, 2021.

The five defendants are:

  • 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
  • Joseph Jeremy, 17, of no fixed abode, Caerphilly 

They deny the charges against them.

The jury were sworn in last week on Tuesday, January 4 and the prosecution opened their case the next day.

No evidence was heard last Thursday and the jury went on a site visit to the scene of the incident on Friday.

It is alleged the 26-year-old was attacked when the gang-of-five spotted his Gucci man bag when he was walking at the Aberthaw Road roundabout in Alway.

Michael Brady QC, prosecuting, told the court that Mr O'Connor's death was a “murder that arose out of a robbery” and that all five defendants were responsible.

He said at least two of them had stabbed him using large, machete-like knives then drove off at speed, laughing as they went.

Jeremy was said to have tried to live-stream his later arrest.

Jurors were told they would be played footage recorded on his mobile phone taken when the defendants were in the stolen car driven to Newport from Cardiff.

The prosecution said one of the witnesses to be called in the trial would be a woman whose flat overlooked the roundabout and who went to help Mr O'Connor after witnessing the alleged murder from her window.

Mr Brady said she woman would say she heard the men laughing as they drove past and shouted at them that they were "disgusting".