Who is Daniel Pickering? Meet Matthew Thomas’ Neath nightclub murderer from ITV’s Code Blue: One Punch Killers

A thug, who was jailed after murdering a man outside a nightclub, is now the subject of a new ITV documentary.

Daniel Pickering had spent the day drinking alcohol and taking hundreds of pounds’ worth of cocaine before killing Matthew Thomas.

Wales News Service

Who is Daniel Pickering? 

Daniel Pickering lived at Leonard Street, Neath, at the time of Matthew Thomas’ murder.

On December 20, 2022, he was found guilty by a jury at Swansea Crown Court.

Reports state that the 34-year-old had consumed alcohol and used cocaine worth £600 on the day of the attack.

Pickering had recently relocated to the area to live with his mother, having been bailed to her residence following charges of assaulting a barman in a Hampshire pub.

On July 14, 2022, he approached a stranger in the town centre and asked him if he could source drugs. 

What the jury was not informed of during the trial but can now be disclosed, is that at some point during the day, Pickering took a taxi to Port Talbot in search of a prostitute.

What did Daniel Pickering do to Matthew Thomas?

The trial revealed that Thomas and the defendant encountered each other at the Arch bar, where the victim was chatting with members of a wedding party. 

An argument then broke out between the two men, leading to Pickering’s removal from the venue due to his behaviour.

Rather than leaving, the defendant stayed outside. 

Approximately fifteen minutes later, as Thomas exited, an altercation took place on the street. 

Despite posing no threat, the shirtless Pickering struck Thomas in the face, causing him to stagger. 

Thomas remained standing, but Pickering then landed a severe punch — described by a witness that it was similar to that of a “boxer’s punch” or a “Mike Tyson punch” — knocking Thomas unconscious and causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement.

Bar staff and bystanders quickly came to the injured man’s aid, positioning him in the recovery pose and fetching a defibrillator. 

Meanwhile, Pickering stood over his unconscious victim, cursing and threatening further violence, including threats to bite his nose off and “finish him off”. 

He continued to assault Thomas, punching and either kicking or stamping on his head, before eventually walking away.

ITV / Rex / Shutterstock

Emergency services arrived and administered CPR to Thomas for about 30 minutes, successfully restarting his heart. 

He was then transported to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. 

However, the next day, his family was informed that his injuries were “unsurvivable,” and he passed away just before 5 am on July 16.

The court was told that Thomas had sustained a torn intracranial artery during the attack, leading to brain injuries from the lack of blood and oxygen. 

It is believed that the artery was damaged by the second powerful punch, and that Thomas was likely already fatally injured when Pickering stamped on him.

How long did Daniel Pickering serve for murdering Matthew Thomas?

On July 15, 2022, Pickering was sentenced to life in prison, with an 18-year minimum term, for murder.

Judge Geraint Walters described Pickering’s actions as an act of “mindless and gratuitous violence” that extinguished the life of Thomas, who was recognised as a happy-go-lucky person who loved life and “didn’t have a bad bone in his body.” 

The judge observed that the case “reveals the worst and the most good in society”.

It showcased the senseless death of a human being on one hand, and on the other, the commendable efforts of bystanders and medical professionals who fought against the odds to keep Thomas alive. 

He noted that the Parole Board might decide that Pickering can never be released.

“[We] are all still struggling to process the level of violence used and are so distressed to know that whilst Matthew lay on the floor dying, Daniel Pickering continuing to punch and stamp on his head.”

Matthew Thomas' family

Senior Investigating Officer DCI Mark Lewis said: “Daniel Pickering’s violent attack on Matthew was senseless and unprovoked and is another example of how the over consumption of alcohol and Class A drugs stimulates aggressive behaviour – resulting in tragic consequences for innocent victims and their families.”

Thomas’ family also paid tribute to him during the trial: “We are all struggling to come to terms with the way he died and make sense of how it could be that a man he didn’t know made the decision that night to take from him his life and his future and by doing so has left such devastation and trauma behind. 

“We sat through court and listened to multiple witnesses detail the horror of the attack, we are all still struggling to process the level of violence used and are so distressed to know that whilst Matthew lay on the floor dying, Daniel Pickering continuing to punch and stamp on his head.”

ITV

The family described the 47-year-old as a “happy, positive, kind person, he loved life and people”.

Speaking about the sentence, they said that they welcomed the verdict and were comforted that Pickering “will not be a danger to the public for at least 18 years”.

They added: “We are hopeful that following today we will be able to move forward and start grieving and remembering Matthew.”

How to watch Code Blue: One Punch Killers

Code Blue: One Punch Killers examines the 82 “one-punch killings” — incidents where a single fist blow to the victim’s head has resulted in death — over the past five years. 

This new episode follows the South Wales Police’s Major Crimes Unit as they investigate three cases: two killings and one assault, each demonstrating the devastating impact of one punch in “chance encounters that last minutes but are destroying lives forever.” 

The documentary gives relatives and detectives a chance to share their harrowing stories.

Watch Code Blue: One Punch Killers at 9pm on ITV on June 18.