Father and son guilty of murdering estranged wife's new partner who hid in wardrobe

A father and his son have been found guilty of murdering his wife's new partner after they found him hiding in a wardrobe.

Wayne Peckham, 49, and his son, Riley Peckham, 23, were both jailed for life, for a minimum of 24 and 18 years respectively, for killing Matthew Rodwell, 39.

After their sentencing at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday, police said the father and son acted “in jealous rage, like a pack of animals”.

The pair hunted Rodwell down and found him hiding in a wardrobe at his home in Downham Market, Norfolk, in January 2022.

Wayne Peckham, estranged from his wife Kerry Peckham, let himself into the house she shared with Rodwell after her son Riley Peckham had climbed through a first-floor window.

The father and son, from Hilgay, Norfolk, beat and strangled Rodwell to death in front of Mrs Peckham.

The pair had denied murder but were found guilty on Tuesday following a six-week trial.

Wayne Peckham was also convicted of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over an earlier assault against another man which happened in Downham Market in December 2021.

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Riley Peckham was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to that same incident.

Wayne Peckham was also convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Mrs Peckham on 23 January last year.

Sentencing the father and son, Judge Anthony Bate said: "Their visit was no speculative social call. They suspected Matthew was there with Kerry and decided to do him serious harm.

"This was a brutal and sustained assault on a man in his home and in front of her partner who was herself injured.

Rodwell, a refuse worker and father-of-two, hid in the wardrobe and made a 999 call to police, while Riley was heard in the background shouting, “You are going to die”.

Riley Peckham and Mr Rodwell fought upstairs, before the victim ended up at the bottom of the stairs where the attack continued. He died at the scene. The cause of death was later declared to be manual strangulation.

Rodwell had suffered 40 "significant" injuries from being kicked, stamped and punched.

Senior investigating officer, Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Chris Burgess, from Norfolk Police, said: “Wayne and Riley acted in jealous rage, like a pack of animals, and the sentences passed today mean they can longer be a danger to anyone else.

“As ever, our thoughts remain with Matthew’s family and friends, and we will continue to support them for as long as they need.”