St Mellons murder: Boy 'called taxi to help victim'

Anthony Winter was father to a two-year-old girl

A 17-year-old boy accused of murdering a drug addict tried to get the victim out of the flat where he was being beaten by his dealer, a court heard.

Anthony Winter, 32, was later found stabbed in woods in the St Mellons area of Cardiff on 22 November, 2018.

Cardiff Crown Court heard he was killed over a £500 drug debt.

A man has pleaded guilty to murder, but the boy along with a girl of the same age and a 28-year-old man all deny the charge.

Giving evidence, the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the atmosphere at the Newport flat they were in started to change late at night after co-defendant John Jr Phillips started to "pressure" Mr Winter for money he said he was owed.

• Murder accused 'smoked cocaine' with victim

• Murdered drug addict 'tortured' for £500

He said the pair had been smoking crack cocaine and, when a bank transfer failed, Mr Phillips became violent.

"JJ then took off his own top and said 'nobody get involved' and he started to strike Winters," said the boy. "There must have been 25 blows to Anthony.

"He didn't throw them all at once. They were in flurries - after laying out on Anthony - punching him with both hands - he'd let him call the bank again."

Mr Winter's body was found near Brookfield Drive in St Mellons

He added: "I could have stopped JJ physically. I chose not to get in between it. If I had intervened at that point and stopped him, it's not him I'd have to worry about, it's his reputation. I didn't want to put myself at risk."

The boy told the jury he had slapped Mr Winter "to bring him around when he was on the floor unconscious".

He said he carried Mr Winter to a taxi where the girl and killer Christopher James Jones were. The taxi was diverted to St Mellons but he said he did not know why.

The jury saw CCTV of the group leaving the taxi with the girl and Jones walking ahead.

The boy said he explained to Mr Winter what happened because he had "blacked out", and the victim approached Jones because he would know more about the situation.

"When he noticed Anthony approaching, he readied himself and changed how he stood, he took out a knife from his right side and stabbed Anthony," the boy added, saying he was "in complete and utter shock".

He said: "I had no idea Flames [Jones' nickname] was going to stab Anthony Winter."

The boy said he "felt a bit ashamed" he did not help the victim as he "needed to get away from the situation" but also said he had to leave with Jones as he did not know the area.

The trial continues.