THE Ryan O’Connor murder trial is in its third week with the jury continuing to hear the prosecution’s case against five defendants.

It is claimed that 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, stand trial at Newport Crown Court.

They deny committing murder, manslaughter and robbery on the evening of Thursday, June 10, 2021 in an area around the Aberthaw Road roundabout, Alway, Newport.

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Here's what we know so far:

Brother said he saw Ryan O’Connor dying

The alleged victim’s brother Daniel O’Connor made a witness statement which was read to the jury.

He said Ryan O’Connor has just left his home after visiting him and was having a shower when he heard he’d been stabbed.

South Wales Argus:

Ryan O'Connor

“I was wondering what had happened since he left and ran out of the block of flats towards the roundabout," he recalled.

“I ran over to Ryan and saw a male trying to help him by doing chest compressions. I didn’t know this man but knew him as a local resident.

“I leaned on the floor by Ryan’s head and offered to help. I noticed the hood on Ryan’s top was full of blood, there was a big pool of it at the bottom.”

Daniel O’Connor added: “Everything happened so fast. It seemed like seconds but it must have been longer.

South Wales Argus:

Police vans near the scene where Ryan O’Connor died in Alway

“Police vehicles turned up and people were asking where the ambulance was.

“Two people wearing red jumpsuits took over.

“I walked up to Ryan but I couldn’t see any movement. I was then told Ryan was gone and he was dead.”

Alleged killers travelled at 110mph during police chase

PC Benjamin Thomas, from South Wales Police’s roads policing unit, said he started following the suspects, who were in a blue Ford Fiesta ST, on Western Avenue, Cardiff, around 40 minutes after the alleged killing.

“I was on duty driving a marked BMW police vehicle when I received information those involved in a stabbing in the Newport area had been sighted by ANPR camera and I moved the location,” he stated.

“The victim had been declared deceased and the occupants were suspected of murder.

“At 9.43pm I was on the westbound carriageway of Western Avenue in Cardiff.

“I heard a transmission from the radio that the vehicle had been sighted travelling on Western Avenue in an eastern direction past the Cardiff Metropolitan University campus.

“I saw the vehicle travelling at speed through a red light.

“I did a U-turn and attempted to catch up with the vehicle, travelling at 110mph.

“It was overtaking and undertaking other vehicles. I sought permission to carry out the pursuit.”

'Don’t say anything bruv'

PC David Evans, a firearms officer, described to the jury the arrests of Fiteni and Strickland at a block of flats near to where the Fiesta crashed in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff.

He said: “The suspects were handcuffed and I took control of Eliott Fiteni.

“At 10.05pm I arrested him on suspicion of murder.

“He kept turning round to Ethan Strickland and tried to talk to him so I moved him to the stairwell until transport arrived and he was taken to a police station.

PC Evans said Fiteni shouted to Strickland: “Don’t say anything bruv.”