A FORMER heroin addict admitted lying to police because he feared being implicated in themurderof a Newport drug dealer, a court heard yesterday .

Karl Drummond, 36, of Attlee Court, George Glover, 39, of Graham Court and Shahid Rafiq, 36, of Bryn-yr-Ysgol, all of Caerphilly, are on trial at Newport Crown Court after they all denied murdering and conspiring to rob Newport manTony Singh.

MrSinghwas attacked by the trio on November 11 last year after they earlier handed over £100 to another man for what they believed was heroin, but was actually beef powder, jury members were told.

Drummond’s barrister John Charles Rees cross-examined Glover’s business partner Timothy Burrows, another former heroin addict, who was arrested by police on November 22 and interviewed for two days.

Mr Burrows, Rafiq and Glover had driven to Newport on the afternoon of November 11 to buy heroin after raising £100 between them.

After finding their purchase was merely beef powder, Rafiq, Drummond and Glover travelled to Newport after a plan was hatched to rob another drug dealer – Mr Singh – for heroin and his possessions.

Mr Charles Rees said to Mr Burrows: “You were petrified you would be charged with murder. Your main concern was getting out of the police station without charge. You would have said anything to get out.”

Mr Burrows said he was suffering from withdrawal symptoms from heroin, was “frightened”

and went along with police suggestions that there were two weapons – a gun and a metal bar – even though he knew there was just a metal bar. He also admitted being “jealous” of Drummond, who is in a relationship with his former partner NIna Sayer and wrongly described him as aggressive and said he struck Mr SIngh with a metal bar “several times”.

Mr Burrows admitted to the court this statement was wrong, with Mr Charles Rees adding: “You didn’t like him, you were jealous of him.”

Proceeding