A MAN accused of murdering a Newport father told jurors he was “deflated”

when he discovered they had been conned by drug dealers.

Karl Drummond, 37, of Attlee Court, Caerphilly, is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court, along with Shahid Rafiq, 37, of Bryn yr Ysgol and George Glover, 40, of Graham Court, both Caerphilly, charged with murdering and conspiring to rob Tony Singh on November 11, 2010. All three deny the charges.

During cross-examination by prosecutor Paul Lewis QC yesterday, Drummond told the court he did not contribute to themoneyused in the drug deal as he was in police custody for shoplifting.

He said his girlfriend, Nina Sayer, was at the flat when he got home and shortly after Glover, Rafiq and Timothy Burrows returned with the drugs. When they discovered it was not heroin, Drummond said he was “deflated” but not “angry, cross or irritated.”

Drummond told jurors Rafiq was “confident” it was a mistake and they were going to go back to Newport to ask for their money back.

He said he did not know the dealers they were going to confront, but there was no discussion about any potential trouble or the need to take weapons.

Drummondtold the court that after their attempt to get their money back failed, Rafiq made calls to meet another dealer, but no one was frustrated or angry.

Mr Singh was found dead in his Bryngwyn Road flat on November 15, 2010. He died fromhead injuries.

Proceeding