A MAN accused of harbouring three men wanted by police on suspicion of the murder of Lemy Bullock had no motive to help them, a court heard.

Mohammed 'Ziggy' Abbes is on trial at Cardiff crown court for allegedly assisting Mo Nasser, Aaron Kent and Martyn Bruce when they were being hunted on suspicion of murdering 36-year-old Mr Bullock in Newport.

Abbes, 50, of Cardiff Road, Newport, is accused of providing the men with a safe house when the "heat was on".

He allegedly hid the three in a block of flats where he used to live at Florence House, Ruperra Street, Pill, just yards from Newport Central police station.

Mo Nasser, 44, of Kirby Lane, and Bruce, 38, of Courtybella Gardens, both Pill, are accused of murdering popular local figure Mr Bullock at Harvey's bar in Commercial Road last March.

Kent, 24, of Livale Court, Bettws, Newport, has pleaded guilty to his murder.

The court heard that Kent stabbed Mr Bullock with a samurai sword and the prosecution claim Mo Nasser and Bruce went to the pub with him as part of a joint enterprise.

Mo Nasser's brother, Abdul 'Sammy' Nasser, 39, of Bassaleg Road, Newport, is also on trial for murder. He is accused of supplying the alleged murder weapon "to order" over claims his brother called him, demanding he deliver a sword, the prosecution say.

Yesterday at Cardiff crown court Abbes' barrister, Mary Parry-Evans, delivered her closing speech to the jury on his behalf.

She said: "There was no motive for Mohammed Abbes to help either of these men if he believed they had unlawfully killed someone."

She said Abbes had lived in Pill for 28 years and knew Mr Bullock's father and his family. Miss Parry-Evans said Abbes also knew Mr Bullock was a well-liked figure.

Abbes denies the charge of assisting offenders and the other three men all deny murder. Proceeding