Lynette White case: Witness Mark Grommek police 'fear'

Lynette White had been stabbed more than 50 times

A man who claims police bullied him into changing his story to help jail three innocent men for murder thought officers would hurt him, a jury heard.

Mark Grommek told the Lynette White corruption trial at Swansea Crown Court he kept looking over his shoulder.

Known as the Cardiff Three, they were jailed for murder but were later freed on appeal.

Eight ex-police officers deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Two other people deny perjury.

Mr Grommek, giving evidence for the fifth day, said he had lived in fear since the sudden end of the first trial in 1989 when then judge died.

He said that by then he was "always looking over my shoulder" and when someone broke into the property next to where he was staying he was moved to a safe house in Bridgend.

He agreed that he had said the murder squad detectives had harassed him until he thought "they would hurt me and put me in prison."

But he said on Friday that after he "broke" on 22 November 1988, and "gave the police what they wanted to hear, they could not do enough for me."

As well as the three men wrongly jailed for the murder of Miss White two others stood trial and were found not guilty.

In 2003 advances in DNA helped police trace Jeffrey Gafoor, who admitted Ms White's murder and was jailed for life.

Eight former officers are accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

One of them and two people who gave evidence are also charged with perjury.

They have all pleaded not guilty and the trial continues.