ALL four defendants on trial for an alleged shooting on Chepstow Road in Newport last September were in the city on the night it took place, a communications expert told a jury yesterday (Fri).

Lewis Bridge, 23, of Nash Drive; Brogan Hooper, 21 of Feering Street; Ryan Battersby, 25 and Gary Rabjohns, 25, both of no fixed abode, are each charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent against John Phillips, Shanice Francis and Michael Wall during an alleged shooting on Chepstow Road, Newport on September 3 of last year.

Rabjohns is also accused with attempting to pervert the course of justice. All four deny the charges.

A forensic communications analyst, Darren Greener, told Newport Crown Court that mobile phone records showed Bridge and Hooper were in Lliswerry or Broadmead Park from 11.17pm to 11.24pm on the day of the shooting, while Battersby and Rabjohns were in the St Julian’s area at 11pm.

Bridge and Hooper’s phones were tracked back to Newport city centre, near the Pasha restaurant on Constance Street, at 11.40pm.

Mr Greener also analysed the men’s mobile phones’ records from 11am until the evening of September 3 and found Hooper was at or around his home and that Bridge was in Lliswerry before travelling to Christchurch and then returning to the Lliswerry or Broadmead Park.

Battersby’s location was “consistent” with him being in or around his former home on Elaine Crescent in St Julian’s, Mr Greener said.

While on the afternoon of the shooting Rabjohns had travelled to Mathern, near Chepstow, and had returned to Newport at about 5pm.

But Harry Baker, defending Battersby, asked whether the evidence was “consistent with hundreds of scenarios” that might have happened. Mr Greener agreed and said while he could say approximately where the phones were located, he could not be any more precise.

Mr Greener said: “I cannot place phones in any building at any time but they are in that area.”

Analysis was carried out on mobile phone masts around Newport last October and in February.

Yesterday was the second day’s evidence from Mr Greener and he will return to the court on Monday morning.

Proceeding.