A MAN charged with the murder of another in a Newport street last January, told a jury “I did not kick that man.”

Richard Wallis, aged 43, of Keene Street, Newport, yesterday told the court he had “no reason to feel the need to kick” Jan Jedrzejewski, who died after an attack in that street on the night of January 12 this year. He said that when he came upon Mr Jedrzejewski after the latter had fallen between two cars during an altercation, he “looked like he was sleeping”.

“There was no reason for me to run in and kick a defenceless man on the floor. It is absurd,” said Wallis.

He is charged with the murder of Mr Jedrzejewski, along with Shaquille Crosdale and Callum Banton, both 18, and both of Fleetwood Close, Newport, and a youth aged 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons. All deny the charge.

Wallis had gone to his mother Catherine Coslett’s house, in Valley View Road, Cwmtillery, the day after the attack on Mr Jedrzejewski, Newport Crown Court heard. After his arrest, he told police it had been about six weeks since he had been there - but Mrs Coslett told police he had only seen her three times in 2016, they did not talk on the phone, and they did not see each other much.

Cross-examining Wallis, David Hislop QC, representing Shaquille Crosdale, suggested Wallis would not have wanted police to believe it was a “remarkable coincidence” he had gone to his mother’s the day after the incident.

“You did your very best to persuade the police there was nothing unusual about your visit to your mother’s,” said Mr Hislop.

Wallis replied: “That would have been the last thing on my mind. I’ve not got the brains to think like that. I’m not trying to mislead anyone.”

Mr Hislop suggested Wallis went to his mother’s to “hide from the police”.

Wallis disagreed, saying he went there “so that I would not be sucked into something I was not a part of”.

Proceeding.