Gucci bag murder: Accused was 'bubbly' after attack

A teen accused of murdering a man for a Gucci bag was "laughing" and "bubbly" after the attack, a jury heard.

Elliot Fiteni, 20, told Newport Crown Court 18-year-old Joseph Jeremy was holding a bloody knife as they drove from the scene in the city's Alway area.

Mr Fiteni said Mr Jeremy was saying: "I yinged him, I yinged him."

Mr Fiteni and Mr Joseph, each of no fixed abode, deny murder, manslaughter and robbery.

Lewis Aquilina, 20, of Riverside, Cardiff; Ethan Strickland, from Caerau, Cardiff; 19, and Kyle Raisis, 18, from Canton, Cardiff, also deny murder, manslaughter and robbery.

Mr Fiteni, who drove the group's stolen car after the attack, told the court he turned to look at Mr Jeremy in the middle of the back seat.

"I saw the knife and I saw the blood on it," he said.

"He was laughing, he was excited, bubbly. He was thinking it was funny.

"I was so angry. I couldn't believe it."

Ryan O' Connor suffered multiple stab wounds on the evening of June 10 last year.

His distinctive Gucci bag, bought that day, was taken.

The dad-of-one died before he arrived in hospital.

Mr Fiteni told the court as they drove from the roundabout on Balfe Road, Alway, he asked Mr Jeremy why he'd done it.

He said: "He was boasting and laughing. He said 'I just got excited and I couldn't help myself."

Mr Fiteni said he and the four other defendants were in Newport to buy a strain of cannabis called "Cali".

Before the attack they stopped at a roundabout close to Aberthaw Road after spotting a police car.

Mr Fiteni said he and fellow defendant Louis Aquilina had stolen the blue Ford Fiesta ST they were in in the early hours of that morning.

The jury heard they were worried police might notice the broken driver's side window and pull them over.

Mr Aquilina, who the court heard was driving on the way to the attack, suddenly got out of the car, the court was told.

Mr Fiteni said Joseph Jeremy followed and that at that point he didn't know if either man had a knife.

He said both returned to the car in less than 30 seconds.

"Joseph Jeremy shouted 'We've got his bag'," Mr Fiteni said.

"He was going through it, he was looking in it. I remember him saying the bag was empty."

As Mr O' Connor lay dying people came to his aid.

Witnesses told police they heard laughing and shouting coming from the car as it drove past the roundabout.

Mr Fiteni said: "I could see a group of people gathered together.

"All I knew was a knife had been used but I didn't know to what extent."

He said Joseph Jeremy had shouted out as the car drove away.

"He was shouting 'We're coming back for you and all your boys'," Mr Fiteni said.

"He was a bit like a child, a psychopath basically."

Earlier the court heard Mr Fiteni had two convictions for knife possession dating from 2016 and 2020. He has also admitted charges of actual bodily harm against a former girlfriend.

The case continues.