NEWPORT man Lemy Bullock died after being stabbed through his liver resulting in rapid blood loss, a court heard yesterday.

Home Office pathologist Dr Derek Simon James told Cardiff crown court Mr Bullock was killed after receiving a fatal stab wound to the stomach. Mr Bullock, 36, died in the early hours of Wednesday, March 16 last year at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital after he was fatally wounded in Harvey's bar in Pill.

The court heard how surgeons tried in vain to save the life of the man described by witness Danielle Louise Johnsey as a "likeable, funny guy". Three men are on trial accused of his murder.

Brothers Mohammed 'Mo' Nasser, 44, of Kirby Lane, Pill, and Abdul 'Sammy' Nasser, 39, of Bassaleg Road, Newport, both deny the charges. Martyn Bruce, 38, of Courtybella Gardens, Pill, also denies murder. Aaron Kent, 24, of Livale Court, Bettws, Newport, has pleaded guilty to Mr Bullock's murder.

The prosecution allege Mo Nasser and Bruce went with Kent to Harvey's wearing Scream masks and armed with a samurai sword to murder Mr Bullock.

Abdul Nasser is accused of supplying them with the alleged murder weapon.

Dr James told a jury yesterday that after he conducted a post-mortem examination he concluded Mr Bullock died from the first of two stab wounds he sustained.

He said the first wound, 11 inches deep and to the upper part of Mr Bullock's stomach, went through his liver and caused rapid bleeding. The second stab wound below Mr Bullock's ribs on the left side of his stomach did no "deep damage", said Dr James, adding that it was the first wound which caused Mr Bullock's death.

Dr James was shown a samurai sword which, prosecution witness Barbara Postains told the jury last week, was delivered to Mo Nasser after he made a call from her home in Pill on the night of Mr Bullock's death. He said he could not say if the sword was the weapon which had caused Mr Bullock's injuries.

But Dr James said: "A blade having similar characteristics must have been used."

A fourth man, Mohammed 'Ziggy' Abbes, 50, of Cardiff Road, Newport, denies the charge of assisting an offender. Proceeding