A MAN accused of murdering a Newport man told a court yesterday, he hit him in self defence, but had nothing to do with him being set alight.

Kamil Semrau, 28, of Chepstow Road, Pawel Lysonik, 22, of Capel Crescent, both Newport, Lukas Kalkowski, 30, of Laundry Road, Pontypridd, and Stanislaw Gliszczynski, 31, of no fixed abode, are on trial at Cardiff Crown Court charged with murdering Ramunas Raulinautis and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Mr Raulinautis, 34, was found outside the Gateway Express Hotel on Chepstow Road in Newport on March 9 2011 after allegedly being beaten and set on fire.

He died three days later at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital.

During cross-examination by prosecutor Elwen Evans QC yesterday, Semrau said Mr Raulinautis hit him and he hit him back in self defence.

The court heard Lysonik, Kalkowski and Stanislaw Gliszczynski joined in the beating and Mr Raulinautis was badly injured.

Semrau said he thought Mr Raulinautis was more drunk than injured and led him outside so he could get help from passersby.

Ms Evans alleged Semrau “dumped” Mr Raulinautis in the street to distance himself from the assault and said the body was set alight to destroy the evidence.

Semrau denied “dumping”

Mr Raulinautis saying he put him in the street so he would be safe from being beaten up again and said he had nothing to do with the burning.

Lysonik, Kalkowski and Gliszczynski are also charged with attempting to murder Stanislaw Galeza and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, arson with intent to endanger life and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Gliszczynski’s brother Andrzej Gliszczynski, 27, of Longtown Grove, Newport, is charged with assisting offenders.

They all deny all the charges.