AN ABERGAVENNY woman said an alleged murder victim looked like “an old man, with brain damage, a total mess” after a pub fight, Newport crown court heard yesterday.

Jade Jones, whose mother was in a relationship with 56- year-old Harry Towers, visited him in hospital four weeks after he sustained what prosecutor Andrew Thomas described as a “severe beating”

from Gareth Jenkins.

Jenkins, 48, of Boundary Street, Brynmawr, denies the murder of Mr Towers following a fight outside the Britannia pub, Abergavenny on October 28, 2010. Mr Towers died on December 22, 2010 at Nevill Hall Hospital.

Ms Jones described Mr Towers as “a bit of a jack the lad”, saying he’d had a tough time in his native Manchester and one day had just got on a train, ending up in Abergavenny.

Of the hospital visit, she said: “He looked like an old man with brain damage, a total mess.

“He had a swollen face, couldn’t speak, didn’t know what was going on. I just cried, he was different.”

PC Christopher McGowan arrested Jenkins, who told him: “He said ‘Let’s go and sort this out and the best man walks away’.”

Proceeding.