A child testified in court that they suffered permanent harm due to their father’s involvement in a sinister plan to murder their mother. Robert Rhodes, 52, viciously attacked his wife Dawn in their home back in 2016 after discovering her affair with a coworker. Rhodes, a carpenter, orchestrated the murder over several months and manipulated their child, who was under 10 years old, into participating in the fatal assault.
Following the murder, Rhodes deceitfully portrayed the incident as an act of self-defense, leading to his acquittal in 2017. However, in 2021, the traumatized child revealed the truth to a therapist and authorities, exposing Rhodes’s lies and manipulation. During the sentencing at Inner London Crown Court, the child expressed enduring mental health challenges and a physical scar inflicted by their own father.
Expressing the lasting impact of Rhodes’s actions, the child emphasized the irreparable damage caused by the traumatic experiences. Rhodes, sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29-and-a-half years, was also convicted of perjury, perverting the course of justice, and child cruelty.
Despite his conviction, Rhodes refused to attend the sentencing, maintaining his innocence through his lawyer. The judge condemned Rhodes as a “coward” for avoiding the court proceedings and highlighted the devastating effects of his actions on both families involved.
The murder took place in June 2016 amid the couple’s deteriorating marriage, with Rhodes initiating divorce proceedings. Rhodes resorted to manipulation and violence, fabricating a false narrative to cover up his heinous crime. The child’s bravery in coming forward with crucial evidence played a pivotal role in bringing Rhodes to justice.
Det Chief Insp Kimball Edey emphasized Dawn Rhodes’s victimization, shedding light on the domestic abuse and coercive control she endured. Rhodes’s despicable actions not only took a life but also left a trail of destruction impacting all who loved Dawn.
Rhodes, hailing from Withleigh, Devon, denied all charges during his second trial. His refusal to participate in court proceedings and continued denial of guilt were noted by the barrister representing him.