Four people appeared in court today charged with the manslaughter of 63-year-old John Reeder from Pontypool.

Mr Reeder, from Pontnewynydd, was found on the roadside after falling off his bicycle at around 6am, sparking a 12-hour police investigation at the scene on August 8 this year.

He was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital but doctors were not able to save him.

Later that month an inquest heard Mr Reeder died of “blunt trauma to the head”.

Casey Coslett, 19, Kieran Allcock, 18, Andrew Vass, 26 and Deon Morgan, 19, spoke only to confirm their names, ages and addresses to Newport Magistrates Court.

Coslett gave his address as Stow Hill in Newport, Allcock as Tern Court in Cwmbran, Vass as Upland Drive Trevethin and Deon Morgan as Eastwood Park Prison in Bristol.

Observers in the busy public gallery appeared visibly upset as the four were taken out of the court.

Mr Reeder, a horse trainer, was a popular figure in the Pontypool area and was regularly seen riding his bike or walking ponies around or at The Pegasus pub in Pontnewynydd.

He was originally from Yorkshire, but lived in Ponthir before moving to Tan-y-Coed, Pontnewynydd a number of years ago.

Within the area he was well known. Daniel James, 24, of Tan-y-Coed, said after hearing of his death: “Everyone knew John around here, he was friendly and would either be riding his bike around to do his shopping or in the pub.”

The three men and one woman were arrested on August 8 in connection with John Reeder’s death, before being later charged with unlawful killing.

They were remanded in custody until their preliminary hearing, scheduled for October 31 at Newport Crown Court.