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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Shot biker followed to motorway | Shot biker followed to motorway |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A biker who was shot dead with a single bullet to the back of the head was followed by his murderer onto the motorway, police have said. | A biker who was shot dead with a single bullet to the back of the head was followed by his murderer onto the motorway, police have said. |
| Gerard Michael Tobin, 35, from Mottingham, south London, was riding near Leamington Spa when he was killed on Sunday afternoon. | Gerard Michael Tobin, 35, from Mottingham, south London, was riding near Leamington Spa when he was killed on Sunday afternoon. |
| Mr Tobin had visited the Bulldog Bash motorcycle festival at Long Marston airfield. | Mr Tobin had visited the Bulldog Bash motorcycle festival at Long Marston airfield. |
| Detectives said they believed it was a pre-planned shooting. | Detectives said they believed it was a pre-planned shooting. |
| Det Supt Ken Lawrence, of Warwickshire Police, said Mr Tobin and two friends had been travelling down the A46 towards the M40 roundabout after the event. | Det Supt Ken Lawrence, of Warwickshire Police, said Mr Tobin and two friends had been travelling down the A46 towards the M40 roundabout after the event. |
| He said that as the three motorcyclists rode past a lay-by on the road, a green Rover 600 series car pulled out and started following them. | |
| 'Good character' | |
| A shot from the Rover is then believed to have been fired at Mr Tobin after the vehicles joined the motorway. | A shot from the Rover is then believed to have been fired at Mr Tobin after the vehicles joined the motorway. |
| Detectives said that several miles after joining the motorway, the green car overtook two of the three motorcycles and shot at Mr Tobin. | Detectives said that several miles after joining the motorway, the green car overtook two of the three motorcycles and shot at Mr Tobin. |
| Det Supt Lawrence said Mr Tobin, who was in a stable relationship and worked as a mechanic, was "hard-working" and "a man of good character". | Det Supt Lawrence said Mr Tobin, who was in a stable relationship and worked as a mechanic, was "hard-working" and "a man of good character". |
| He added Mr Tobin was a Canadian who had lived in the UK for the last 10 years and did not know if he had been affiliated to the Hells Angels. | He added Mr Tobin was a Canadian who had lived in the UK for the last 10 years and did not know if he had been affiliated to the Hells Angels. |
| Detectives believe the murderer was travelling in a green Rover car | |
| Det Supt Lawrence said Mr Tobin had not come to the attention of the police before and there was nothing in his past to indicate why anyone would want to murder him. | Det Supt Lawrence said Mr Tobin had not come to the attention of the police before and there was nothing in his past to indicate why anyone would want to murder him. |
| Det Supt Lawrence said: "Astonishing is the best word to describe this case. | Det Supt Lawrence said: "Astonishing is the best word to describe this case. |
| "It is an incredible story. This man was travelling at some speed - we think about 70mph - I don't know of anything quite like this happening before." | "It is an incredible story. This man was travelling at some speed - we think about 70mph - I don't know of anything quite like this happening before." |
| Warwickshire Police said they had already received more than 200 calls from the public with information about the incident. | Warwickshire Police said they had already received more than 200 calls from the public with information about the incident. |
| However, he urged any more witnesses to come forward who saw the car or Mr Tobin's distinctive black Harley Davidson motorcycle. | However, he urged any more witnesses to come forward who saw the car or Mr Tobin's distinctive black Harley Davidson motorcycle. |
| Popular biker party | Popular biker party |
| Specially-trained officers carried out a fingertip search on the stretch of the motorway on Sunday and Monday and police are now studying footage of the motorway. | Specially-trained officers carried out a fingertip search on the stretch of the motorway on Sunday and Monday and police are now studying footage of the motorway. |
| Detectives said they were also examining a similar shooting involving bikers from the Bulldog Bash six years ago. | |
| In that incident, three bikers were shot at on the M40 as they returned from the event, but survived. | In that incident, three bikers were shot at on the M40 as they returned from the event, but survived. |
| The Bulldog Bash is one of the most popular biker parties in Europe and attracts tens of thousands of motorcyclists and music fans from across Europe. | The Bulldog Bash is one of the most popular biker parties in Europe and attracts tens of thousands of motorcyclists and music fans from across Europe. |
| This year's event was headlined by Status Quo. | This year's event was headlined by Status Quo. |