A MAN accused of the manslaughter of cyclist John Reeder along with two others took to the dock yesterday to give evidence.

Kieran Allcock, 18, of no fixed address, Andrew Vass, 26, of Upland Drive, Trevethin, and Deon Morgan, 20, of no fixed address, each deny a charge of the manslaughter of 63-year-old Mr Reeder on August 7 last year.

Newport Crown Court was previously told Mr Reeder, from Pontnewynydd, was knocked from his bicycle in the early hours of the morning on the A4043 in Pontnewynydd, and later died of severe head injuries.

A fourth defendant, Casey Coslett, has admitted manslaughter.

The three on trial are accused of a “joint enterprise” meaning they allegedly acted together in the crime.

Yesterday afternoon Allcock gave evidence. He said in the early hours of the morning of August 7 he was in his bedroom and heard shouting outside and saw Coslett outside with Morgan and Vass and joined them.

He claimed he had not been drinking or taken drugs, but as the group wandered around Pontnewynydd he snorted two lines of M-Cat.

He told the court he knew the victim as Gypsy John but denied touching him or causing him to fall from his bike and denied encouraging Coslett.

He said: “We saw Deon running down the road chasing John. John was in the middle of the road and Deon shouted something like ‘get him’, or something along those lines.

“Casey ran into the middle of the road, into John’s path, blocking him. He shoulder barged John off his bike and John went over the handlebars.”

Proceeding