Five charged with murder

Three men and two boys will appear at Newport Magistrates Court on Monday 14 June after they were each charged with murder and robbery.

Gwent Police launched a murder investigation on Thursday 10 June after the body of a man was discovered in Newport.

Officers attended a report of a serious assault at around 9.05pm in Balfe Road and found Ryan O’Connor, a 26-year-old man from Newport, unconscious and unresponsive.

He was later confirmed as deceased by paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service, and his family are receiving support from specialist officers.

Five people – three men from Cardiff and two boys, one from Caerphilly and one from Cardiff - were arrested on suspicion of murder.

They have each been charged with one count of murder and one count of robbery. They have been remanded to appear at Newport Magistrates Court on Monday 14 June.

Chief superintendent Tom Harding said:

“Our officers and staff have worked tirelessly since this investigation started on Thursday. On behalf of Gwent Police, I want to thank them for their dedication and professionalism shown so far.

“We will continue to be visible over the coming days and our local police patrols will remain in place. If you have any concerns, please take the time to stop and talk to us.

“The support shown to us by the communities of Newport and our partners is greatly appreciated, and our enquiries will be continuing into this investigation as we seek to bring those responsible to justice.”

We’re appealing for anyone with information that could assist our enquiries to call 101 or send a direct message via Facebook or Twitter to us, quoting log reference 2100203630.

Anyone who has dashcam footage from Balfe Road, especially of the roundabout and the surrounding area, between 8.45pm and 9.20pm on Thursday 10 June is asked to get in touch with us.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 with any details.