Uncle and nephew deny 'joint enterprise' to kill man

An uncle and nephew accused of murdering a 27-year-old man in Swansea were in a "joint enterprise to kill", a court has heard.

Joshua Norman died after he was found with serious injuries to his neck in Cwm Road, Hafod, at about midday on September 11.

Paul Rosser, 49, from Gendros, and Joshua Cullen, 32, from Waun Wen, appearing at Swansea Crown Court, both deny one count of murder and one of manslaughter.

Christopher Rees KC prosecuting told the jury that Mr Rosser used a sharp broken bottle as a weapon to attack Mr Norman.

The barrister added that his nephew, Mr Cullen, encouraged or assisted him before they both walked away from the scene without contacting emergency services.

He told the jury that the pair were part of a "joint enterprise to kill" or cause Mr Norman "really serious" harm.

The jury heard the three men had allegedly bought drugs on the morning of the incident, and had been travelling in an Audi A3 driven by another man.

The prosecution said Mr Norman withdrew £150 from a cashpoint, before an altercation was captured on CCTV of the men outside a shop in Port Tennant.

After the car took off again, the jury saw dashcam footage of the three exiting the vehicle on New Cut Road, before they walked towards Cwm Road.

The prosecution pointed out to the jury that Paul Rosser can be seen holding a broken bottle in the CCTV footage.

The court heard the next video of the accused men was from after the attack.

A delivery driver saw a man, described by the prosecution as being Mr Norman, waving a branch at two men who were standing "shoulder to shoulder".

The jury heard members of the public had seen Mr Norman with a "deep gash to the neck" on Cwm Road with "blood pouring out of it".

Despite their efforts, along with paramedics, the court heard that Mr Norman died at the scene.

The jury heard that a post-mortem examination revealed a sharp force injury to Mr Norman's neck.

The jury heard that when Mr Rosser was later arrested, he told police: "I only gave him a few slaps and walked away."

Mr Rosser told the court he he had been drinking alcohol for about four days before the incident and he had also taken heroin and crack cocaine.

The jury heard he had told officers: "It was an accident. I didn't mean to kill anybody."

The prosecution said that Mr Cullen was arrested in his flat at Griffith John Street, where he lived with his mother.

After Mr Cullen's arrest, the jury heard he said in his police statement he was completely sober at the time, and that it was Joshua Norman who was "trying to start a fight".

The defence's argument is that the pair smashed the bottle to "scare off" Mr Norman.

The prosecutor said to the jury that its position is that the pair tried to murder him.

The trial will resume on Thursday.