Malaciah Thomas stab victim 'involved in relationship triangle'

A man stabbed to death in a Cardiff suburb was involved in a "relationship triangle", a court has heard.

Malaciah Thomas, 20, suffered multiple stab wounds and died in July 2018.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Daniel Roberts, 20, had "grievances" against Mr Thomas after he suspected he was seeing his girlfriend Naomi Davis.

Mr Roberts, of no fixed address, Awez Jamshaid, 19, of Ely, Christopher Griffiths, 29, of Roath and Saif Shahzad, 19, of Cyncoed deny murder.

Patrick Harrington, prosecuting, told the court: "Naomi Davis was at the centre of the relationship triangle.

"Mr Thomas had known her for a number of years and had been in a relationship. It had come to a stormy end and she later began a relationship with Roberts."

The court heard that Mr Thomas had kept in contact with Miss Davis and had been drinking with her the night he was killed.

"Roberts became increasingly angry that Naomi was seeing Mr Thomas and ultimately it was that anger that manifested itself in a vicious knife attack," Mr Harrington said.

CCTV played in court showed Mr Roberts jumping over a garden wall before launching an attack on the driver side of Mr Thomas' car.

Mr Griffiths, 29, allegedly jumped from behind another wall along the street and covered the passenger side to stop Mr Thomas escaping.

The court heard the pair was seen stabbing Mr Thomas before he broke free. He was chased by his attackers before they launched a second assault.

They were then picked up in an Audi A3 driven by Mr Jamshaid, and continued the chase, the jury heard.

Mr Harrington told the court: "Roberts got out, jumped over a front wall of a house and delivered the final and fatal stab wound."

The trial continues.