Downham Market murder: Father and son found guilty

Wayne Peckham, 49, and his son Riley Peckham, 23, have been on trial at Norwich Crown Court having both denied the murder of Matthew Rodwell, 39, in Downham Market on January 23 last year.

The pair were accused of attacking Mr Rodwell after they found him at the Bulrush Avenue home of Wayne's wife and Riley's mother Kerry, with whom he had started a relationship.

Both had denied murder but on Thursday (March 9) a jury found the father and son guilty of murder after almost 11 hours of deliberations.

Wayne and Riley showed no emotion as the verdicts were returned by the seven men and five women on the jury who had been out for a total of 10 hours and 51 minutes.

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 and Riley of one count in relation to the same offence.

Judge Anthony Bate who said the sentence was "inevitable" adjourned the case until April 13.

Speaking after verdicts in the six-week trial, senior investigating officer, Det Insp Chris Burgess, 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.

“The call records the final moments of Matthew’s life, which was taken from him by actions of two men overcome with jealousy and rage and acting like a pack of animals."

The trial, which started at the end of January, heard from Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting, that a "terrified" Mr Rodwell had hidden in a wardrobe when Wayne and Riley arrived at the house.

From there, he made a frantic 999 call to police.

"Matthew, still hiding in a cupboard upstairs, heard Kerry downstairs. He hid in the wardrobe and called 999," she said.

Ms Karmy-Jones said Mr Rodwell, from Fincham, west Norfolk, was "terrified about being found by Riley and Wayne".

She said during the call, made from a bedroom wardrobe in her youngest son's room, Mr Rodwell expressed "genuine fear about what was about to take place".

Mrs Peckham had let her son, Riley, in through a window after she had heard him on a roof outside.

She had tried to get him to go but he shouted and his father then entered the house.

Riley later called out "he's here", after finding the victim in the cupboard.

Ms Karmy-Jones said: "Riley said: 'You're going to die, you're going to die."

Mrs Peckham heard a struggle break out upstairs and tried to prevent Wayne from "going upstairs by blocking him".

She could hear Riley and Mr Rodwell "grappling with each other".

Wayne "barged" past but Mrs Peckham tried to grab hold of his leg as Mr Rodwell was assaulted at the top of the stairs.

Mr Rodwell ended up at the bottom of the stairs although Mrs Peckham did not see how "Matt got down the stairs"

When at the bottom of the stairs Wayne began "kicking, stamping and punching" Mr Rodwell to "his body and face".

Mrs Peckham tried to prevent the attack by placing her body on top of Mr Rodwell, and she was also struck.

Ms Karmy-Jones said Mr Rodwell suffered "over 40 significant injuries as a result of the attack that was inflicted upon him".

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Rodwell died as a result of strangulation.