A TEENAGER accused of murder told police during interview that one of his co-accused kicked a Polish man in the head while he was lying in Keene Street “like a football”.

The transcribed interview of Callum Banton was read aloud by the prosecuting junior James Wilson and Jon Parkinson, a detective constable from Gwent Police.

The 18-year-old of Fleetwood Close, Richard Wallis, 43, of Keene Street and a 17-year-old youth, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jan Jedrzejewski.

Shaquille Crosdale, 18, of Fleetwood Close, has pleaded not guilty to the same offence and also to perverting the course of public justice.

A fifth defendant, Catherine Coslett, 64, of Valley View Road, Cwmtillery, is not accused of murder but perverting the course of public justice.

The court heard that Banton was interviewed on four separate days following his arrest, replying with no comment in interviews on January 13 and January 14.

His interview from January 15 was read out to Newport Crown Court on Friday, August 4, as was his prepared statement from the interview on January 16.

Mr Wilson, reading Banton’s responses, told the court that he planned to help the Polish man up before Wallis “sprinted from his house” and kicked him in the face.

“I wanted to help him. I said “no-one hit him on the floor”,” said the barrister.

“Wallis just boots him in the face. I saw the kick – it was a naughty kick.

“He’s literally kicked the guy’s head like a football.”

Banton added that he wanted to help Mr Jedrzejewski by taking him off the floor, pulling his trousers up and potentially paying for a taxi to get him home, the court heard.

During his interview, Banton added that he saw the Polish man walking towards Wallis “like a robot” while his co-accused was “jumping around like Rocky Balboa”.

He also asked why he changed his clothes after the alleged incident.

“I was thinking they are going to think it was me straight away,” said Mr Wilson, reading his response.

“DNA could have got on my clothes. There should be no other DNA on any of my clothes.

“I did not want to have anything on me from that scene. The only things I had on me was my keys and Vaseline.”

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.