A WITNESS in a murder trial was reluctant to take part in the police investigation because she feared “repercussions” for herself and her children, a court has heard.

Jan Jedrzejewski, 41, died in hospital after he was found unconscious close to Cromwell Road, in Newport, at around 11pm on January 12, following an incident in Keene Street.

Richard Wallis, 43, of Keene Street, Callum Banton, 18, of Fleetwood Close, Shaquille Crosdale, 18, of Fleetwood Close and a 17-year-old youth have pleaded not guilty to his murder.

At a trial at Newport Crown Court yesterday, witness Mirna Selvaraj denied trying to favour anyone and said that she knows “the three boys and that they are good boys”.

“I am 200 per cent sure that they did not intend to kill him,” she added.

Ms Selvaraj said she can remember Mr Jedrzejewski was “provoking” them.

“I remember Richard Wallis told him ‘I can knock you down – but I do not want to,” she said. “I do not know if he understood him.”

In a statement read out in court from earlier this year, Ms Selvaraj said Mr Jedrzejewski fell to the ground face down during the alleged assault and that, when she returned outside after five minutes, his head had turned and was now facing towards her house.

“When you gave evidence on Monday, you said you didn’t notice whether his face had turned to the side,” said Ali Bajwa QC, speaking for Callum Banton. “You didn’t want to say his head was positioned differently because you know how important that is. You know it turned because it had been kicked.”

Ms Selvaraj said she didn’t see Wallis ran run up to Mr Jedrzejewski and kick him in the face.

Mr Bajwa told the court that, when Ms Selvaraj spoke to the police the day after the incident, she had several things in mind.

“You didn’t want them to think that you were aggressive towards the Polish man,” he said. “You also didn’t want to say anything bad about Richard Wallis.”

Mr Bajwa asked her whether she was now “trying to make things worse for the three boys”.

“I would not want to spoil anyone else’s lives, I am not that horrible,” Ms Selvaraj said. “Why would I want to destroy these boys’ lives?”

Mr Bajwa continued: “When the police first spoke to you, you were reluctant to take part in the investigation.

“You told them that you feared repercussions for yourself and your children – you said you felt you could not keep them safe.”

Ms Selvaraj said she worried “they” would get someone to come shoot her.

Proceeding