A DRUG dealer was murdered after suffering a devastating brain injury following a planned robbery at his flat, a jury was told.

Shafiul Islam, 22, died in hospital six days after he was attacked at his Newport home, the city’s crown court heard.

Conlan Dunnion, 23, of Maesglas Avenue, Maesglas, Newport, Perrie Dunwell, 33, of Cold Mill Road, Newport, and Euan Peters, 42, from Dros-y-Morfa, Rumney, Cardiff, have gone on trial accused of his murder.

Mark Wyeth QC, prosecuting, said Mr Islam died after he was repeatedly hit over the head with a Kopparberg cider bottle.

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It is claimed he was set-up by his friend Dunnion who allegedly orchestrated a robbery with the others at Tewkesbury Walk on Thursday, November 14, 2019.

Police and paramedics were called to the flat at just before midnight.

They found, the court heard, it had been ransacked and discovered Mr Islam, who was known by his nickname ‘Chilly’, unconscious lying in a cupboard.

It was a deliberate, gratuitous and violent attack

The jury was shown CCTV footage of Dunwell and Peters at the Tawa Indian restaurant in the Spytty area of Newport earlier that evening.

Peters was shown picking up a bottle of Kopparberg cider.

Dunwell later drove Peters to Mr Islam’s home where Dunnion let him into the block of flats by opening a communal door, the court heard.

Mr Wyeth said: “Euan Peters, the prosecution say, hit him with the bottle of Kopparberg he’d taken earlier from the restaurant.

“There’s strong forensic evidence that links that broken bottle to Mr Peters.

“That was a deliberate, gratuitous and violent attack that was made by him with the concurrence of his two co-defendants.

“Mr Islam was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital.

“A CT scan indicated that he had suffered ‘a devastating brain injury’.

“Sadly, he never regained consciousness and died on Wednesday, November 20, 2019. He was just 22 years old.

“Mr Islam was the defendants’ target because he was a drug dealer.

“The prosecution’s case is that he was killed during the course of a robbery – a planned robbery.

“The robbery was planned and carried out by all three of these defendants.”

Mr Wyeth added: "Perrie Dunwell drove Peters to the scene. He arranged for Dunnion to open the communal door in order that the robbery could be carried out.

“He drove Peters and Dunnion away from the scene. He was the link to Peters, a man who described himself as an ‘enforcer’.”

Peters admitted conspiracy to rob before the jury on the opening morning of the trial.

Dunnion and Dunwell deny conspiracy to rob.

All three have pleaded not guilty to murder.

The trial before Mrs Justice Jefford is expected to last between four and six weeks.

Proceeding.