Three additional men linked to the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club have been sentenced for their involvement in a violent and targeted attack on the president of a rival gang in the Forest of Dean last year.
The confrontation occurred on Saturday, 5 April 2025, in Market Place, Coleford, and resulted in serious injuries to a man in his 60s.
At Bristol Crown Court, Joshua Bell, 32, of Gloucester, received a prison sentence of one year and five months. Mark Gibson, 56, of Knutsford, was given a two-year sentence suspended for two years. Paul Price, 57, of Newport, was sentenced to one year and two months, also suspended for two years. Luke Cole, 30, of Gloucester, is scheduled for sentencing on 2 September for his participation in the incident.
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Gloucestershire Police confirmed that Bell, Price, and Cole had earlier pleaded guilty to violent disorder, while Gibson was found guilty following a trial.
The court heard that police were called to Market Place at 2:30pm on the day of the attack after reports that a group had assaulted a man outside a pub. Multiple individuals exited vehicles and attacked the victim using metal poles before fleeing in a convoy.
The victim sustained grievous injuries, including a brain bleed and fractured jaw, necessitating hospital treatment. His partner was also assaulted and injured during the incident.
The Constabulary’s Criminal Investigation Department led an extensive probe, utilising CCTV footage to identify and arrest 11 men connected to the attack. Ten of these men either admitted their involvement or were found guilty, while one was acquitted.
“This was a targeted and violent attack carried out in the street in the middle of the day, while members of the public watched on in shock,” said Acting Detective Sergeant Robert Humphreys. “Those involved showed a blatant disregard for the consequences of their actions and instead wanted to assert their dominance over a rival motorcycle gang. Violence of this nature will not be tolerated in Gloucestershire, and I’m pleased that following our thorough investigation, several men have been sentenced for their part in what happened that day.”
Previously, six other men - Lee Rogers, Billy Timmins, Robert Greenacre, Kyle Matthews, Darren Rimmer, and Ashley Lauterdale - were sentenced to a combined total of 27 years and two months’ imprisonment following a hearing at Bristol Crown Court on 19 June.
Rogers, Timmins, and Greenacre had pleaded guilty to section 18 wounding with intent and violent disorder at the start of a trial in February. A jury found Matthews, Rimmer, and Lauterdale guilty of the same charges during the trial. Lauterdale was additionally found guilty of section 47 assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
This case highlights the serious consequences faced by those engaging in organised violent crime and sends a strong message against gang-related violence within the county.