**Uncle and Nephew Decline to Testify in Swansea Street Murder Trial**
A murder trial currently underway at Swansea Crown Court has taken another significant turn as both defendants, an uncle and his nephew, confirmed they would not take to the witness stand in their own defence. Paul David Rosser, aged 49, and his nephew, Joshua Lee Cullen, 32, maintain they are not responsible for the death of 27-year-old Joshua Norman, who lost his life following a violent incident in the Hafod district of Swansea last September.
Mr Norman, a young father, suffered a catastrophic neck injury during an altercation on the streets near the city centre. Despite efforts from bystanders, emergency police, and medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The prosecution alleges that Rosser and Cullen deliberately killed Mr Norman—an accusation both vehemently deny. The pair also refute an alternative charge of manslaughter.
During proceedings, counsel for the defence—Allan Compton KC representing Rosser and Andrew Davies KC for Cullen—told the jury that neither accused would give evidence in their own defence, nor would they be calling any witnesses. This choice is a legal right in the UK, but always draws interest regarding the strategies of the defence and the jury’s perceptions of guilt or innocence.
The trial has shone a light on the events of the night of 10 September 2024, when, according to earlier court testimony, Mr Norman, Rosser and others spent the evening together at Mr Norman’s flat in Dyfatty, Swansea. It is alleged they smoked crack cocaine and consumed alcohol throughout the night. On the following morning, the group’s activities continued, first stopping at a local shop to purchase more alcohol before heading to Cullen’s nearby flat, where the co-defendant resided with his mother—Rosser’s sister.
Accounts given to the jury describe the three men subsequently being picked up in a black Audi. The Crown asserts that the trip to Port Tennant by car was an attempt to procure drugs. Reports from eyewitnesses have depicted the Audi stopping abruptly on New Cut Road, with Rosser, Cullen and Mr Norman getting out before the vehicle drove away. Notably, Mr Norman was observed with blood on his head and a rear passenger window of the car appeared smashed.
The prosecution claims that after leaving the vehicle, the men walked through a wooded area before reaching Upper Strand. There, an altercation between Norman and Cullen allegedly occurred before all three continued through a tunnel leading towards Cwm Road. It is in this tunnel, says the prosecution, that the fatal violence erupted. Rosser is accused of smashing a cider bottle and fatally stabbing Mr Norman in the throat during this episode.
Although no direct footage of the alleged attack exists, CCTV has shown the trio’s movements around the time of the incident. Several witnesses have recounted seeing or hearing events immediately before and after Mr Norman was mortally wounded. The precise moment of the attack, however, was neither witnessed nor captured by cameras.
Interesting details have emerged from police interviews, including informal comments Rosser made while in custody. He reportedly claimed the incident was a tragic accident, stating the broken bottle struck Mr Norman when the latter “lunged” towards him. “It was an accident like, I didn’t mean to kill anybody… prison for the rest of my life for something I didn’t mean to do,” he was quoted as saying.
As for Cullen, he submitted a prepared statement to police during questioning, describing Mr Norman as aggressive and a bully. He denied any physical involvement or responsibility for Mr Norman’s injuries.
The prosecution, led by Christopher Rees KC, paints a picture of a joint enterprise. It alleges that both men acted together, with Rosser thrusting the broken bottle into Norman’s neck and Cullen allegedly assisting or encouraging the act. Jurors have been told that both defendants either intended to kill Mr Norman or, at the very least, to cause him grievous bodily harm.
Rosser, of McRitchie Place in Gendros, and Cullen, of Griffith John Street in Dyfatty, have entered formal pleas of not guilty to both murder and manslaughter. As the case continues, the jury will have the grave task of weighing the evidence to determine their guilt or innocence in the tragic death of Joshua Norman.
The trial remains ongoing; its outcome will no doubt be closely scrutinised both in Swansea and further afield, given the harrowing details and complex web of personal relationships at play.