A DEFENDANT in the Lemy Bullock murder trial broke down in tears during cross examination yesterday and declared his innocence to the court.

Mohammed 'Ziggy' Abbes, 50, of Cardiff Road, Newport is charged with assisting an offender in allegedly helping three men later charged with the murder of Mr Bullock.

Abbes, who appeared in the witness box for the first time yesterday, denies harbouring Mohammed 'Mo' Nasser, Martyn Bruce and Aaron Kent at a block of flats he lived in at Florence House, in the Pill area of Newport. 'Mo' Nasser, 44, of Kirby Lane, and Bruce, 38, of Courtybella Gardens, both Pill, are on trial for the murder of Mr Bullock, at Harvey's bar last March.

Kent, 24, of Livale, Court, Bettws, Newport, has pleaded guilty to murdering the 36-year-old, who died in hospital after being fatally wounded at the Pill pub.

A third man, 'Mo' Nasser's brother, Abdul 'Sammy' Nasser, 39, of Bassaleg Road, Newport, is also on trial for murder.

He is accused of supplying a samurai sword allegedly used to kill Mr Bullock.

At Cardiff crown court yesterday Abbes wept during his cross-examination by prosecutor Gerard Elias, QC, and declared "I am innocent."

Mr Elias was questioning Abbes about 'Mo' Nasser's presence in his block of flats on the day after Mr Bullock's death. The defendant had earlier told the court how 'Mo' Nasser and Bruce came to his flat on the night of the attack on Mr Bullock.

Abbes said he had allowed his friend, 'Mo' Nasser, to come into the flat after receiving a phone call from him, but he said he did not want Bruce to stay there because he was "creepy."

Abbes told the jury he had been "mashed up" that night after drinking, smoking cannabis and taking Temazepam.

The defence counsel Mary Parry-Evans asked him "Did you hide them?" Abbes said he had not.

The court heard that on the day after Mr Bullock's death Abbes' friend Abner Blackstock had telephoned him to tell him he had heard the Pill man had been stabbed.

Abbes told Mr Elias he thought Mr Blackstock had been "joking" and said he then saw 'Mo' Nasser in the block of flats and confronted him about the news, but he had ignored him. All four men deny the charges. Proceeding.