Anthony Jones, 56, was killed after a violent clash between rival biker gangs in Pontnewynydd, near Pontypool in south Wales, on August 6.
Gwent Police said they believe the mass brawl was the result of a turf war between the Hells Angels and the Vikings motorcycle clubs.
Officers have arrested 25 men, aged between 18 and 73, in connection with the fatal incident outside the British Legion Club, which also serves as the Pontnewynydd Sports and Social Club.
The fight broke out at around 7.15pm opposite a children's playground in the village. Witnesses said around 20 people were involved in the conflict, with one group having prepared weapons including machetes, axes, and hammers.
Locals claimed that some of the men had taped machetes to their hands to prevent losing their grip during the brawl. Two other people were taken to hospital for treatment following the violence.
Mr Jones, known to friends and family as Tony, lived 30 miles away in Brecon according to social media records. He was found face down in an alleyway with a severe head wound, and bystanders performed CPR before emergency services arrived. Armed police, a police helicopter, and multiple ambulances were deployed to the scene.
Police Investigation and Arrests
Senior Investigating Officer Laura Bartley is leading the murder investigation for Gwent Police, the force responsible for policing the county borough of Torfaen and surrounding areas in south-east Wales.
Police had previously issued an urgent appeal for information regarding a blue Ford Transit van and 40-year-old Anthony Paul Jones from the Blaenavon area. On Friday, investigators confirmed both had been tracked down.
"The Ford Transit van was located outside of the Gwent area and we are currently assessing the van to establish how it relates to our investigation," Detective Chief Inspector Bartley said. "Officers have also located Anthony Paul Jones and we will be speaking to him in connection with our enquiries."
Anthony Paul Jones, 40, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder. DCI Bartley acknowledged the impact on local residents, adding: "We understand that this complex investigation has caused substantial disruption within our communities since it was reported to us. We are extremely grateful for the patience, support and co-operation shown by our communities while this work continues."
Police confirmed that establishing the full involvement of everyone present remains their primary focus. DCI Bartley reassured the public that staff are working around the clock to identify all suspects and bring them before the courts.
Family Tributes and Biker Links
The family of Mr Jones paid tribute to him in a statement released through Gwent Police, describing him as "first and foremost, a much-loved husband and devoted dad."
"To us, he was not a name in a news story, he was our Anthony and the hole he has left in our family is impossible to put into words," the family said. They added that his wife Sarah and their children were "at the centre of his world and he absolutely doted on them," while his grandchild affectionately called him "Grumpy."
Remembering his cheerful nature, the family recalled treasured memories of family days out and "kitchen discos" at home. "Sarah has lost her husband and the children have lost their dad," the statement read. "Whatever else may be said, nothing changes the husband, father and Grumpy Anthony was to his family or how deeply he was loved."
Social media posts on an account belonging to Mr Jones featured images referencing the Hells Angels and its numerical moniker, 81. Photographs alongside family pictures showed he had the letters "AFFA" tattooed across his hand, an acronym standing for "Angels forever, forever angels."
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide organisation formed in California in 1948, boasting more than 6,000 members across nearly 60 nations and maintaining 16 regional chapters in Britain. The Vikings were formed in 1969 as the Hells Angels Vikings before dropping the prefix six years later. Other clubs operating in south Wales include the Celtic Wolves and the Valley Commandos.
History of UK Biker Violence
The fatal confrontation in Pontnewynydd follows a series of violent clashes between rival British motorcycle clubs over recent years. In October 2022, three Hells Angels members ambushed a group of Vikings on the A24 in Findon, West Sussex, in a revenge attack.
The victim was left fighting for his life after being stabbed, stamped on, and beaten with a baton. Callum Shaw was sentenced to 17 years in prison, while Barry Brown and Daniel Kent received three-year terms. Kent was handed an extra 12 months for burglarizing a Vikings clubhouse.
In November 2018, 13 masked men armed with knives, baseball bats, and an industrial cable attacked a meeting of the Vikings and their support group, the Wargs Brotherhood, at an outbuilding named "The Shud" at the Forman Institute in Blindley Heath, Surrey. Six people were stabbed and one was assaulted during the attack.
Seven men associated with the Hells Angels and Red Devils were convicted at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court in July 2019 and sentenced to a combined 98 years in prison, receiving 14 years each. Trial judge John described the assault as an "appalling piece of gratuitous planned violence" intended to force out the Vikings so the Hells Angels could establish a Surrey chapter.
Fatal Attacks and Explosive Feuds
Another fatal feud occurred in May 2022, when 59-year-old David Crawford was killed in Plymouth. Mr Crawford, a grandfather and member of the Red Devils club affiliated with the Hells Angels, was riding his motorcycle when he was struck by a Ford Transit van carrying three members of the rival Bandidos club.
The van dragged Mr Crawford under its chassis for nearly a mile along the road. Benjamin Parry, Thomas Pawley, and Chad Brading were convicted over the killing. Parry was initially jailed for 12 years, which was increased to 15 years on appeal, while Pawley and Brading were each sentenced to four years. They claimed they only intended to confront Mr Crawford for wearing a Red Chief jacket on their patch.
In Scotland, motorcycle gang feuds turned explosive in 2024 when Daniel Laponder planted a viable pipe bomb under a BT Open Reach van used by David Rollo. Laponder, who had split from the Blue Angels Motorcycle Club to found the Mad Dogs Motorcycle Club, targeted Mr Rollo because his son was a member of the Blue Angels.
Laponder poured petrol over the vehicle and detonated the bomb containing ball bearings using a remote device. He was caught with sawn-off shotguns and improvised explosive devices before being sentenced to nine years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow. Presiding Judge Lord Arthurson described the background as "somewhat bizarre" but noted that the offences were of "considerable gravity."
In Sheffield, a 2024 brawl between the Satan's Slaves and the Mongols was captured on video by a passing motorist. Members of the Satan's Slaves attacked the Mongols clubhouse while brandishing baseball bats. The Satan's Slaves suffered heavy casualties in the street fight, with several members severely injured and requiring hospital treatment.
Regional Conflicts and Unrest
Tensions between clubs have also flared over events and territory across England. The Hells Angels Wolverhampton chapter has engaged in ongoing disputes with the Derby-based Road Tramps for control of an annual motorcycle festival created by the Road Tramps in 1983. The Wolverhampton group also previously brawled with Birmingham's Cycle Ramps gang during the early 1990s.
In Surrey, 23-year-old Alfonso Sibley was stabbed to death on December 9 last year after being ambushed outside the Spring Tavern pub in Ewell while attempting to sell cannabis. He collapsed in a pool of blood outside the nearby Wheatsheaf pub. Two attackers arrived and escaped on motorbikes. A 15-year-old defendant was acquitted of murder, manslaughter, and conspiracy to commit robbery at Kingston Crown Court, while two other teenagers aged 15 and 17 were cleared of robbery conspiracy.
A veteran biker and construction worker from Merseyside told the Daily Mail that relationships between clubs remain governed by a "fragile truce" that "could go either way." He noted that clubs attract two distinct types of recruits: middle-aged men seeking excitement and individuals looking for protection after being bullied.
Gwent Police have asked anyone with information about the Pontnewynydd murder to contact them quoting log reference 2600255536, or to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
