Father and his son are guilty of murdering his wife’s new lover in ‘harrowing and brutal’ attack after they found him hiding in her wardrobe
- Wayne Peckham and his son Riley acted ‘like pack of animals’ during attack
- Victim Matthew Rodwell died after being kicked, stamped and punched by pair
A father and his son are facing life jail sentences for the murder of his estranged wife’s lover after they found him hiding in a cupboard at her home.
Wayne Peckham, 49, and Riley Peckham, 23, carried out a ‘harrowing and brutal’ joint attack on Matthew Rodwell, 39, after he started living with Kerry Packham.
The father and son of Hilgay, Norfolk denied murder, but a jury took only ten hours to find them unanimously guilty today after a six week trial.
Norwich Crown Court heard how Mr Rodwell went to hide in the wardrobe when he realised Wayne and Riley were outside the house in Downham Market, Norfolk. He made a desperate 999 call from his hiding place in the bedroom of Mrs Peckham’s younger son as Riley climbed in through an upstairs window and his father left himself in on January 23 last year.
Riley ignored his mother’s pleas to leave before picking up Mr Rodwell’s shoes, and looked in the cupboard, calling out: ‘He’s here’.
The court heard how Riley yelled, ‘You’re going to die, you’re going to die’ as his father entered the house.
Wayne Peckham (left) and his son Riley Peckham (right) acted ‘like a pack of animals’ when they attacked 39-year-old Matthew Rodwell, Norfolk Police said
Mr Rodwell (right) was in a relationship with Wayne Peckham’s wife Kerry Peckham (left)
The pair beat Mr Rodwell, a refuse worker for Serco, at the bottom of the stairs as mother-of-three Mrs Peckham desperately tried to get between them to protect her partner.
Father-of-two Mr Rodwell died at the scene, and Wayne was arrested in the house after allegedly trying to hide behind a curtain.
A post mortem revealed Mr Rodwell had 40 ‘significant’ injuries after being repeatedly kicked, stamped and punched. His likely cause of death appeared to be manual strangulation.
The court heard how his blood was found on the clothing of Wayne and Riley, and his DNA was under both men’s fingernails. Riley’s DNA was also found on Mr Rodwell’s neck.
Wayne was also found guilty of three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to an earlier attack in Downham Market in December 2021. Riley was convicted of one count of assault in relation to the same incident.
Mrs Peckham began a relationship with father-of-two Mr Rodwell after splitting up from her ‘volatile and controlling’ husband in Spring 2021.
Jurors were told how he later moved into her home, but had been parking his car some distance away to avoid her estranged husband finding out.
Matthew Rodwell (pictured), 39, is said to have been repeatedly kicked, stamped and punched and his likely cause of death appeared to be manual strangulation
Mr Rodwell was pronounced dead at the house in Downham Market, Norfolk. The cause of death was strangulation
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC described the attack on Mr Rodwell as a ‘planned and vicious assault’.
She added: ‘Riley and Wayne were at the time of the incidents not just father and son, but close allies.
‘Both of them were content to use aggression and violence to achieve their aims’.
The court heard how Wayne had spent the afternoon in the pub before heading to his wife’s home with his son.
The pair moved a doorbell camera and a CCTV camera in the back garden before entering the house, and ‘acted together to settle scores’ in a ‘joint enterprise’, the court heard.
Ms Karmy-Jones said Mr Rodwell, from Fincham, Norfolk, had been terrified about being found by Riley and Wayne’ and hid in the cupboard when he realised they had turned up at the house just before 8pm.
She said: ‘Matthew, still hiding in a cupboard upstairs, heard Kerry downstairs. He hid in the wardrobe and called 999.’
During the call from the bedroom wardrobe, he expressed ‘genuine fear about what was about to take place’, added Ms Karmy-Jones.
Police arrived at about 8.05pm and could hear ‘screaming’ from inside the house.
Kerry came to the door with the body of Mr Rodwell was found lying in the hall.
Riley Peckham and Mr Rodwell (right) fought upstairs, while Mrs Peckham (left) tried to restrain Wayne Peckham downstairs
The court heard that Kerry Peckham had split from husband Wayne (left) in Spring 2021. Her son Riley (right) is said to have found Mr Rodwell hiding in a wardrobe at her home
Her husband was detained at the scene, after he had initially tried to hide behind a curtain, while Riley was handcuffed, but then escaped, the court was told.
He was caught a couple of hours later at his step-grandfather’s address.
Ms Karmy-Jones said Wayne could be ‘aggressive’ after drinking and was a ‘bad influence’ on his son Riley.
Wayne told officers after his arrest that he believed his actions were ‘lawful’ and that he had acted in self defence as Mr Rodwell had punched him, causing his nose to bleed, so he had punched him back.
Riley denied pushing Mr Rodwell and claimed they ‘somehow’ ended up at the bottom of the stairs after he had a brief blackout.
Norfolk Police described the murder as ‘harrowing and brutal’ in a statement after the hearing.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Chris Burgess, from the Major Investigation Team, welcomed the conviction.
He said: ‘This was a harrowing and brutal murder and I know some of the evidence given in court, especially the 999 call, has been difficult to listen to.
‘In this call, we hear the final frightening moments of Matthew’s life, a life taken by the actions of two men overcome with jealousy and rage, acting like a pack of animals.
‘I want to thank the family and friends of Matthew for their patience, support and bravery throughout this investigation and I’m grateful the correct verdict has been reached by the jury in this case.
‘Our thoughts remain with Matthew’s family and friends, and we will continue to support them for as long as they need.
‘This was one of two murder investigations launched on the same night following the tragic death of 19-year-old Lauren Malt who was killed in nearby West Winch.
‘While the timing and proximity of the incidents created challenges, we had sufficient resources in place to handle the murder investigations, both of which have led to the offenders being prosecuted.’
Wayne and Riley Peckham will be sentenced on April 13.
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