TWO men accused of murdering Newport man Lemy Bullock beat a brain-damaged man in the street "like a pack of animals" hours before, a court heard today.

A jury at Cardiff crown court were told Mohammed 'Mo' Nasser and Martyn Bruce kicked and punched Johnny Morgan just hours before they allegedly murdered Mr Bullock.

Mo Nasser, 44, of Kirkby Lane, and Bruce, 38, of Courtybella Gardens, both Pill, Newport, deny murdering Mr Bullock, 36, in a city bar last March.

The jury was told that Aaron Kent, 24, of Livale Court, Bettws, Newport, has already pleaded guilty to his murder.

It is alleged the three wore masks and went to Harvey's bar, armed with a samurai sword, to kill Mr Bullock.

Mo Nasser's brother, Abdul 'Sammy' Nasser, 39, of Bassaleg Road, Newport, also denies murder after being charged with supplying the alleged murder weapon.

A jury were told today by prosecution witness Maureen O'Brien that she saw disabled Mr Morgan being attacked outside Bryn's corner shop on Pill's Commercial Road.

She said she saw Kent shouting and arguing with Mr Morgan before throwing a punch at him.

She said Kent told her: "He (Mr Morgan) beat me like a dog when I was nine, not once, but twice."

Mrs O'Brien told the court that Kent, Mo Nasser, Bruce and another man, launched into the attack which saw Mr Morgan kicked and punched as he lay on the ground.

"They were like a pack of animals after prey, like you see on the telly," Mrs O'Brien said.

"When Johnny Morgan was on the floor they all came in kicking and punching him. Mo stamped on his hand with his heel."

She said she and another man, Matthew Postains, tried to stop the attack.

Mrs O'Brien said she was kicked in the knee and Mr Postains was told to "mind his own business or he would get it, too".

A fourth man, Mohammed 'Ziggy' Abbes, 50, of Cardiff Road, Newport, is also on trial for assisting an offender by allegedly hiding Kent, Bruce and Mo Nasser at a safe house in Ruperra Street.

The prosecution claim Mo Nasser, Kent and Bruce set out to murder Mr Bullock because they were cultivating a "hard-man image" in Pill, and were incensed because he stood up to them.

(Proceeding).