Who was Nathan Brew’s brother Matthew Thomas? Wales rugby player’s sibling killed with one punch by Daniel Pickering
THE brother of a former rugby star was the victim of a senseless and unprovoked crime.
Matthew Thomas was attacked with a single fatal punch outside a nightclub in Neath in 2022.
Who was Nathan Brew’s brother Matthew Thomas?
Matthew Thomas was the brother of ex-Welsh international rugby union player Nathan Brew.
The 47-year-old was killed by Daniel Pickering in 2022.
In an interview with S4C, Brew revealed how the family grew closer following the tragedy.
Nathan, along with his sisters Rachel Brew and Kath Thomas, shared how the death of their brother profoundly affected their family.
Nathan reflected, “We’re much closer as a family after what happened to Matthew, because a tragedy like this brings you together.”
He recounted the night they received urgent news: “We got a call at 1 o’clock in the morning to say that all his vitals had changed, and we should go to the hospital.
“The Consultant said ‘I’m really sorry Matthew is going to die – he will die before the morning, and this is your chance to go in and say your goodbyes.”
Nathan shared his initial denial and subsequent acceptance: “I think I failed to accept the fact looking back. I thought ‘what’s this going to achieve?’ but I snapped out of it.
“I went in to see Matthew – just the two of us, and I apologised to him that we weren’t as close as we were when I was growing up.”
He also expressed his confusion upon seeing Matthew, “I remember looking at his face. There was a little cut on it but otherwise he looked fine.
“I felt slightly confused, thinking ‘he looks ok, so why do they say he’s not likely to get through it?’.”
What happened to Matthew Thomas?
On July 16, 2022, Thomas died from his injuries sustained in the attack by Pickering.
The trial disclosed that Thomas and the defendant, Pickering, first encountered each other at the Arch bar while Thomas was at a wedding party.
A dispute took place, leading to Pickering being ousted from the bar due to his conduct.
Instead of departing, Pickering lingered outside the venue.
About fifteen minutes later, as Thomas was leaving, they clashed on the street.
Although he posed no threat, the shirtless Pickering hit Thomas in the face, causing him to stumble.
Thomas managed to stay upright, but then Pickering delivered a devastating blow.
A witness described it like a “boxer’s punch” or a “Mike Tyson punch”, which rendered Thomas unconscious and caused him to collapse onto the pavement.
Bar staff and onlookers immediately rushed to assist Thomas, putting him in the recovery position and using a defibrillator.
Meanwhile, Pickering hovered over his unconscious victim, hurling curses and threatening further harm, including threats to bite his nose off and “finish him off.”
He then punched and either kicked or stamped on Thomas’s head before finally leaving the scene.
“He had a totally merciless look on his face. No remorse at all.”
Nathan Brew, Matthew Thomas' brother
Emergency responders soon arrived and performed CPR on Thomas for around 30 minutes, successfully reviving his heart.
He was then rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Unfortunately, the following day, his family was informed that his injuries were “unsurvivable,” and he died shortly before 5 am on July 16.
The court learned that the attack had caused a torn intracranial artery in Thomas, resulting in brain damage due to the reduced blood and oxygen supply.
It was believed that this artery had been ruptured by the second forceful punch, and Thomas was probably already fatally injured when Pickering stomped on him.
What happened to Matthew Thomas’ killer, Daniel Pickering?
On July 15, 2022, Pickering was sentenced to life in prison, with an 18-year minimum term, for murder.
Judge Geraint Walters characterised Pickering’s actions as an act of “mindless and gratuitous violence” that ended Thomas’s life, a man described as happy-go-lucky who “didn’t have a bad bone in his body.”
The judge commented that the case “reveals the worst and the most good in society” — showing the senseless death of a human being, as well as the heroic efforts of bystanders and medical professionals who struggled against the odds to keep Thomas alive.
He also mentioned 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”.
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] 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.”
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.”
Recalling that day in court, Nathan said: “He had a totally merciless look on his face. No remorse at all.
“To hear Daniel Pickering’s story – that he had done something similar before (although not to the same extent) made us all quite angry, not just at Daniel Pickering but at the system, because he should never have been out.”
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 explore three cases: two homicides and one assault.
Each case shows the catastrophic effects of a single punch during “chance encounters that last minutes but are destroying lives forever.”
The episode also examines the influence of alcohol and a culture of violence, and interviews family members and friends who are grappling with the loss and injury of their loved ones.
It also tackles the complex issue of whether people convicted of such violence during a drunken altercation had intended to kill their victims.
Throughout, the documentary gives a chance for relatives and detectives to share their distressing experiences.
Watch Code Blue: One Punch Killers at 9pm on ITV on June 18.