THE brother of murderer Aaron Kent fled Newport because he fears for his safety in the city, a court heard yesterday.

Jay Kent, 23, appeared at Newport magistrates court after breaching the conditions of a community order by not attending unpaid work.

He was handed that punishment after being convicted of a common assault against his step-father last year and of a public order offence shortly afterwards.

Mike Sage, defending, said Kent had moved to Blaenau Gwent because he was running scared after his brother, Aaron, admitted killing Newport man Lemy Bullock. "He's had to move address," said Mr Sage.

"When your brother has been convicted of murder in the Pill area, you attract a huge amount of attention.

"There's a huge amount of public feeling against the murder. "It's not a good idea to have the surname of Kent in town.

"He (Jay) does not feel safe in the Newport area. He is at constant risk and had to leave fairly rapidly.

"Because of his concern for his safety he has had to move umpteen times." Mr Sage said Kent, who admitted the breach, had lost touch with probation officers because he was constantly changing address. He described his family as having "huge problems".

Magistrates re-sentenced Kent, giving him another community order which involved 80 hours of unpaid community work. He was also ordered to attend a substance abuse programme.

Aaron Kent, of Livale Court, Bettws, admitted killing 36-year-old Mr Bullock with a samurai sword at Harvey's pub in Pill last March. The 24-year-old, who stabbed him twice in the stomach, was sentenced to life with a tariff of 20 years.

Mohammed 'Mo' Nasser, 44, of Kirby Lane and Martyn Bruce, 38, of Courtybella Gardens, both Pill, were also convicted of his murder by a jury at Cardiff crown court. Both were jailed for life. Nasser was told he would serve 24 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole and Bruce was given a tariff of 16 years.