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Gwent Police arrest four on suspicion of murder following cyclist's death

Rider was discovered with serious head injuries yesterday morning, but little information on circumstances of incident

Four people have been arrested by Gwent Police on suspicion of murder following the death of a 63-year-old cyclist in Pontypool from head injuries sustained early yesterday morning.

Information currently made available by the police is vague, and they say they are still looking to establish the chain of events leading up to the fatality.

However, with the arrests made on suspicion of murder, that suggests that some significant information may have come to their attention.

The suspects arrested are three men, aged 18, 19 and 23, plus a 19-year-old woman, all of them from the Pontypool area.

It has not been stated whether a motor vehicle was involved in the incident.

Police were alerted to it when the cyclist was discovered face-down, close to his bicycle, on the A4043 near George Street at 6am yesterday morning.

According to local newspaper The Free Press, the cyclist has been unofficially identified as racehorse trainer John Reeder from Pontnewynydd.

Originally from Yorkshire, he is said to have been a popular figure locally, and could often by seen on his bike or with his horses, as well as in local pubs.

The newspaper adds that motorists rushed to help the stricken cyclist and that he was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, but died there of serious head injuries.

An employee from a local business, Brickfabrication, told The Free Press: "A couple of people had stopped to tend to him. He was about 10 yards from his bike, face down and looked in a bad way."

According to the newspaper, roads within a one-mile radius were cordoned off for up to 12 hours while 20 police officers and forensic staff conducted their investigations.

Gwent Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them on 101 and quote number 73 7/8/13

We will update this story with more information once it becomes available.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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14 comments

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Edgeley | 10 years ago
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Bit surprising that the local paper is accepting comments, in the circumstances, and probably Road CC shouldn't accept them either.

Doesn't look like a cycling incident per se.

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eurotrash | 10 years ago
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The link in the comments above is definitely worth a read - check the comments section, specifically those from some people who knew him.

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notfastenough replied to eurotrash | 10 years ago
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eurotrash wrote:

The link in the comments above is definitely worth a read - check the comments section, specifically those from some people who knew him.

Indeed - suspect the involvement of a bike is merely incidental, there appears to be a personal aspect.

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TeamCC | 10 years ago
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Usually we see the details come out quickly from the police, I wonder if this is a case where they don't know enough yet or since they look to be going after a harder charge they aren't sharing.

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Welsh boy | 10 years ago
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Our local rag reported yesterday that: "Police say the man was injured after he fell off his bike rather than after colliding with another vehicle" (http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/10596205.UPDATE__Cyclist_in_Pontyp...) so hopefully not a road rage, accident or helmet issue.

My thoughts are obviously with the family and friends of the dead man.

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workhard | 10 years ago
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May be a little more complex than the initial reports baldly suggest. http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/10599743.Four_arrested_on_suspicio...

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mad_scot_rider | 10 years ago
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... hence my preference for the tag

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nowasps | 10 years ago
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@jackh I'm not sure it is really. Don't turn this into another debate about sarcasm on the internet please.

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mrmo | 10 years ago
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I hope this is todo with Horse racing or similar and nothing to do with being a cyclist.

The police wouldn't have gone for Murder unless there was a very good reason.

Last thing we need is morons going round killing cyclists because they are cyclists.

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notfastenough | 10 years ago
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How sympathetic of you alexholt3.

RIP, hope the Police establish the facts.

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SideBurn | 10 years ago
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Murder? Will the 'moment of inattention' defence apply? They could get a £70 fine  13

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alexholt3 | 10 years ago
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The question is, was he wearing a helmet?

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arrieredupeleton replied to alexholt3 | 10 years ago
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alexholt3 wrote:

The question is, was he wearing a helmet?

I'm not sure it is the question really. Don't turn this into another helmet debate please.

If 4 people have deliberately killed an elderly guy on a bike I doubt a helmet could have made any difference whatsoever. However, we don't know the details of the case.

RIP

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jackh replied to alexholt3 | 10 years ago
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@alexholt3 Sarcasm is hard to detect on the internet, y'know...

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