Clydach trial witness breaks down

David Morris denies murdering the four family members

The lesbian lover of a woman battered to death with her mother and two children broke down giving evidence at the trial of the alleged killer.

Alison Lewis asked for a break as she described her feelings for Mandy Power and how she got on with her daughters.

She told Newport Crown Court how Ms Power was someone "you instantly liked" and how her children, Katie, 10, and Emily, eight, were "lovely kids".

David Morris denies murdering Ms Power, her mother and two children in 1999.

Their bodies were found by fire-fighters alerted to a blaze at the family's home in Clydach, near Swansea, in June 1999.

Ms Lewis, who was a married mother-of-two when she met Ms Power, described their relationship as "very intense."

"If we met 10 times, we would end up in bed on nine of those occasions," she said.

"It started off very intense and very physical. I felt towards the end there was quite a bond."

"Kind and considerate"

When asked how she got on with Ms Power's children, the 39-year-old former police constable filled up with tears and asked for a break.

When she had composed herself she said: "I got on well with the children. They were lovely kids."

The pair first met in 1998 while Ms Lewis was playing rugby for a women's team in Swansea which Ms Power would often turn up to watch.

When prosecutor Patrick Harrington QC asked what attracted her about Ms Power, Ms Lewis said: "She was very pretty.

"She had a personality that you instantly liked. She was very kind and considerate."

The court heard that Ms Lewis, who played for the Wales women's rugby team and represented Great Britain at karate, broke off her relationship with Ms Power on two occasions only to make up with her afterwards.

Strong denial

Earlier in Friday's proceedings, a number of people gave evidence saying Mr Morris, 44, of Craig-cefn-parc, in the Swansea Valley, had been wearing a gold chain in the New Inn pub in Clydach hours before the murders were committed.

Former scrap metal dealer David Morris denies four murder charges

The prosecution claim Mr Morris left his chain at the scene of the murders during a struggle although the defendant strongly denies this.

Sharon Jameson, who was at the pub that evening with her partner Ian James, said she remembers Mr Morris wearing the distinctive item of jewellery.

"I made a comment because my partner Ian and David were dressed the same," she said.

"Ian was wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans and a gold chain."

Two other drinkers at the pub that night, David Thomas and Phillip Turner, also said they saw Mr Morris wearing the chain.

Mr Turner, who lived near Mr Morris and his then partner Mandy Jewell, added that the pair would often fight with each other.

He recounted one occasion he called the police when he saw Ms Jewell "screaming" and "being kicked down the street" by Morris.

Mr Turner said it got to the stage where it wasn't worth calling the police whenever the couple fought because officers only got "a load of abuse" from them when they turned up.

Mr Turner added: "I was of the opinion that Mandy would stick by him whatever happened."

The trial continues.