Young soldier on a night out 'was killed by an amateur boxer who boasted he was "hardest man in town"'

  • Private Matthew Boyd, 20, died following the incident in Brecon, on May 8
  • Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Boyd was chased, punched to the ground 
  • Was then beaten before his body was dragged and dumped in the road
  • Jake Vallely, 24, accepts punching Mr Boyd but denies murdering him, while his friend Aaron Evans, 23, denies manslaughter

By Thomas Burrows for MailOnline

Published: 17:24 GMT, 16 November 2016 | Updated: 19:34 GMT, 16 November 2016

Private Matthew Boyd, 20, who served with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, died following the incident in the barracks town of Brecon, South Wales, on May 8

A soldier on a night out was murdered by a stranger who boasted he was the 'hardest man' in the town hours earlier, a court heard.

Private Matthew Boyd, 20, who served with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, died following the incident in the barracks town of Brecon, South Wales, on May 8.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Boyd was chased, punched to the ground and beaten before his body was dragged and dumped in the road.

Jake Vallely, 24, accepts punching Mr Boyd but denies murdering him.

His friend Aaron Evans, 23, denies manslaughter. 

Prosecutor Christopher Quinlan QC told the jury of nine men and three women: 'Jake Vallely is the self-proclaimed hardest man in Brecon.

'That was how he described himself an hour or so before the attack that killed Mr Boyd.

'Together with his friend, Aaron Evans, he chased and then assaulted Mr Boyd. Mr Boyd was punched.

'He went to the ground and thereafter he was beaten until he moved no more.

'Mr Vallely then dragged and dumped his body and ran off. He ran back to the bar where he continued his night with his friend Mr Evans.'

In police interview, Vallely accepted chasing and punching Mr Boyd while Evans denied any part in the attack, Mr Quinlan said.

The jury was told Mr Boyd was a soldier and had served with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment for years before his death.

Following tours in Northern Ireland, Mr Boyd was sent to Brecon, arriving in the town on May 3 this year.

On the evening of May 7, he went out with fellow soldiers but became separated from them at about 11pm.

He arrived at the Cellar Bar in Brecon at about 12.19am on May 8. Vallely and Evans were both at the bar, the court heard.

CCTV cameras later captured Vallely's 'sustained assault' of Mr Boyd in the street outside the bar, Mr Quinlan said.

'Punching him, going to the ground and then him continuing to hit him remorselessly when he was on the ground,' he added.

'It shows him dragging him to the middle of the road and then dumping him before running off. Either dead or dying.'

Jake Vallely, 24, (pictured right) accepts punching Mr Boyd but denies murdering him. His friend Aaron Evans, 23, (pictured left) denies manslaughter

The court heard Vallely, an amateur boxer, and Evans were both from Brecon and had played football together on May 7.

The court heard the pair were in Rorkes Drift bar before the alleged killing.

Mr Quinlan said Vallely had 'started on' Kelly Price, a woman sat with his group of friends in the premises.

'He went from calm to angry. He erupted and became aggressive, intimidating and threatening,' Mr Quinlan told the jury.

'He asked Miss Price "who the f*** are you? He told her to f*** off.

'He said "I've raped worse than you. I will f****** you. I'm the hardest f****** man in Brecon.  

“He asked Miss Price ‘who the f*** are you?’, he told her to f*** off. He continued to shout loudly at her.

'Two doormen intervened and removed him from the establishment.' 

Mr Quinlan said Vallely was also asked to leave Harleys Bar after bar staff saw him ripping a cocktail menu with his mouth.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Boyd (pictured) was chased, punched to the ground and beaten before his body was dragged and dumped in the road

Mr Quinlan said residents were woken by shouting at about 1am, with some seeing two men 'pursuing' another.

CCTV footage from a camera at the Guild Hall was played to the jury, showing Vallely and Mr Boyd.

'Vallely got the better of Mr Boyd,' Mr Quinlan said. 'He drove him to the ground.

'Once he was on the ground Mr Boyd was no longer - if he had ever been - a threat to this man.

'Once down he was punched repeatedly. You could see Mr Vallely's right arm moving like a piston up and down as he punched him.

'There was also movement of his right leg.

Evans denies manslaughter - he is accused of chasing down and assaulting Mr Boyd 

'He completely overpowered that man. He dragged his still motionless body across the road.

'It was sustained, repeated and unlawful violence delivered with intent to cause really serious harm.

'He left him obviously unconscious at the very least. When he jogged back to the Cellar Bar the cameras carried on running.

'Mr Boyd didn't move a muscle and stayed motionless until a member of the public happened upon him.'

Mr Boyd was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2.40am. 

Vallely and Evans, both of Brecon, deny murder and manslaughter respectively.

The trial at Cardiff Crown Court continues.

 

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