Dramatic car chase through Cardiff played during Ryan O'Connor murder trial

Footage of the police pursuit was played to Cardiff Crown Court.

Dramatic footage of a police chase has been played during the trial of five men accused of killing a young father in Newport.

Ryan O'Connor, 26, was found unresponsive on Balfe Road in Alway in June last year. He had suffered stab wounds and was later pronounced dead.

Joseph Jeremy, 18, Lewis Aquilina, 20, Elliott Fiteni, 20, Kyle Rasis, 18, and Ethan Strickland, 19, are all on trial charged with murder, manslaughter and robbery.

Following the alleged attack on Mr O'Connor, Cardiff Crown Court heard police pursued a blue Fiesta ST carrying the five suspects through Cardiff. After a stinger is deployed, the car comes to a stop at Glyn Collen.

PC Benjamin Thomas, of the roads policing unit, told the court the vehicle reached speeds of 110mph during the chase.

He said the car travelled at 70mph in a 20mph zone, swerved into a bus lane while undertaking vehicles and passed pedestrians at 80mph.

Describing the arrest of Mr Aquilina, PC Thomas said he "had never experienced such a violent struggle with a suspect".

He told the court: "I was able to tackle the fourth male to the ground and he began to struggle violently as he rolled across the grass with his arm around my neck in a vice-like grip and I struggled to breathe. I now know the person to be Lewis Aquilina.

“He was trying to cause me serious harm or worse. I was joined by another officer and Aquilina loosened his grip for me to free my head. He continued to struggle to get free.

“As he was suspected of murder and could have had a knife on him, I took the occasion to strike him repeatedly to the head to distract and subdue him. This had the desired effect and I handcuffed him."

The five defendants deny the charges - the trial continues.