THE actions of two brothers involved in a fracas in Keene Street were at the centre of an eyewitness’s evidence at Newport Crown Court.

Callum Banton and Brandon Crosdale, both 18, and Shaquille Crosdale, 19, all of Fleetwood Close, have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter of Jan Jedrzejewski.

Louise Fielding, a resident of Keene Street at the time of the incident, appeared on Thursday, November 9 to give evidence.

“There was an incident involving Shaquille and the Polish man which involved piece of wood,” said Mark Wyeth QC, defending Shaquille Crosdale.

“He raised his fists to Shaquille. Did you see any of that?”

Miss Fielding replied: “No, I just heard Shaquille say “What the f*** man?”

“I’m going to agree that there was a similar set of words,” said Mr Wyeth QC.

He continued: “You were being asked about the wood that Shaquille picked up.”

“You said that it was sitting outside Mirna’s flat, leaning against it. You have sort of a mental picture of that. Would you agree with that?”

Mr Wyeth QC asked the witness about certain differences between her statement and testimony.

“You have always had difficulty with how the wood came into contact with the Polish man. You have made that clear in statements and DVD transcripts,” he said.

“You have always struggled as to where exactly it was.

“The case I put on behalf of Shaquille is that the wood was thrown, not swung, and it was thrown in self-defence.

“Could it be that Shaquille did throw the wood at the man and not swing it at the man?

“Shaquille hit the man with the wood,” said Miss Fielding.

Defending Brandon Crosdale, Kate Brunner QC asked the witness about an action made by her defendant towards the Polish man.

Ms Brunner QC said: “There was a gap in time between when you saw the kick and when you realised the man as on the ground.

“I didn’t know that the man had gone to ground,” replied Miss Fielding.

“In your statement, you said that the kick made the Polish man fall between the parked cars and out of your view,” said Ms Brunner QC.

“He did go in with a kick and that’s when they were all scuffling,” said the witness.

Mr Jedrzejewski died at the Royal Gwent Hospital the day after the alleged incident, as he was found unresponsive at around 11pm close to Cromwell Road on Thursday, January 12.

Proceeding.