ONE of the five men accused of murdering a father for his Gucci bag told a co-defendant he’d “chopped his finger off”, a jury heard.

Lewis Aquilina is said to have made the claim to Ethan Strickland after the alleged slaying of Ryan O’Connor in Newport, the city’s crown court was told.

Aquilina and Strickland and three other defendants, Elliott Fiteni, Kyle Raisis and Joseph Jeremy, are on trial jointly accused of murder, manslaughter and robbery.

The 26-year-old Mr O’Connor died from stab wounds on the evening of Thursday, June 10, 2021 in Balfe Road, Alway.

South Wales Argus:

Ryan O'Connor

The prosecution claims that the five men are guilty of a joint enterprise attack on Mr O’Connor who was known by his nickname, ‘Apple’.

Jurors heard how the defendants travelled from Cardiff to Newport in a Ford Fiesta stolen from Risca during the early hours of that day.

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In his police interview following his arrest, Strickland told murder squad detectives it was believed ‘Apple’ was a drug dealer when they saw him walking in Alway.

He said Aquilina and Jeremy got out of the Fiesta and ran after Mr O’Connor.

South Wales Argus:

Mr O'Connor was known to friends as 'Apple'

Strickland revealed: “They thought he was a drug dealer and they chased him.

“They just said they were going to rob him.

“Lewis and Joseph chased him around the roundabout.

Joseph was excited – he was laughing and joking

“They were both swinging knives and I looked away.”

After Aquilina and Joseph got back in the car, Strickland added: “Lewis said he chopped his finger off.

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“Joseph said he had stuck the knife in his back.

“I didn’t watch it. It all happened so fast.”

Strickland then told the police that Aquilina had appeared “calm” after the alleged robbery but Jeremy was “hyped”.

South Wales Argus:

Tributes left at the scene where Ryan O’Connor died (Picture: Athena Picture Agency)

He said: “Joseph didn’t even care, he said he was excited.

“He was smiling and trying to laugh and joke about it.”

Strickland said of his reaction just after the incident: “I was scared. Scared of getting done for this.”

The jury also heard evidence from Fiteni when he was interviewed by police.

South Wales Argus:

Ryan O'Connor

He also said Aquilina and Jeremy got out of the Fiesta and ran after Mr O’Connor.

Fiteni told the police: “They chased the boy. They ran and ran on to a roundabout.

I yinged him, I yinged him up

“They jumped out of the car and they just ran.

“It all happened so quick like. It’s mad. Mad.

“No one said nothing.

“They just flew out of the car.

“I said, ‘What the **** is going on?’” 

Jeremy got back inside the car and told the others he had stabbed Mr O’Connor, Fiteni claimed.

He told detectives how ‘Joe’ said to them: ‘I yinged him, I yinged him up'.

Fiteni added: “He was just like an excited little child. I thought, ‘You stupid little ….”

He then described Jeremy as a “dumb kid”.

Jeremy, 18, of no fixed abode, Caerphilly, Raisis, 18, of Bartley Wilson Way, Canton, Cardiff, Strickland, 19, of Clos Briallen, Caerau, Cardiff, Fiteni, 19, of no fixed abode, and Aquilina, 20, of Canton Court, Riverside, Cardiff, deny all the charges against them.

The trial continues.