‘Monster’ who murdered cousin with axe in ‘frenzied attack’ jailed for life

A man branded a “monster” has been sentenced to at least 31 years in prison for killing his cousin in a “frenzied attack” with an axe.

50-year-old Donald Excell inflicted at least five blows on 58-year-old Rita Lambourne’s head, face, chest and arms after entering her home with a gun on February 12 last year.

The attack occurred while Ms Lambourne was on the phone with her partner.

Excell, of Seabourne Road, Bexhill, was found guilty of murder at Hove Crown Court in December.

He was not represented at Thursday’s sentencing hearing and no mitigation was offered.

Sentencing, judge Christine Henson KC said: “I’m sure you planned this action before going to his house that evening.”

He added that this was a “crazy attack by you in Rita’s own home.”

Family members described confusion over why he would kill the person who was “trying so hard to help.”

Judge Henson told Excell: “It appears you were engaged in a conspiracy theory of your own making about the cover-up of a ring of pedophiles, including Rita.”

But he said there was “absolutely no evidence of such a cover-up.”

The judge sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum of 31 years, excluding the 464 days he spent in custody.

The court heard Excell had 21 convictions since 1992, including for low-level violence, and the year before the murder, he attacked his father by biting off his nose during a television dinner.

In 2023, Ms Lambourne gave her cousin Excell a ride and Excell “lost it, threatening to kill her like a crazed maniac”.

The court heard that after the incident, the woman blocked him on social media and sent him a message saying: “I didn’t deserve this, I hope you recover as soon as possible, I wish you success.”

On the night of the murder, he had walked to Miss Lambourne’s address, 20 minutes from his own home, and entered her house through her unlocked back door.

Lambourne had been speaking on the phone to his partner Ashley Panahandehkafifar moments before the attack when he heard shouts as he dropped his phone, the hearing heard.

He called Mrs. Lambourne’s daughter, Lucie, who called Claire Haldane to check on Mrs. Lambourne.

Ms. Haldane noticed her sister in the front room of her home and began CPR.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Haldane said she would “never forget the horror I physically felt and saw that night”.

“Just consolation, I found my sister and I couldn’t find anyone else.

“No one needed to endure this pain, and I could have been there for my sister at the end of her life.”

He said he believed Excell had long wanted to split the family, adding: “He didn’t win and he no longer has any power or control over any of us.”

Mr Panahandehkafifar said his partner was attacked with an axe, there was no one to save him and “the attack was carried out by this monster”.

Miss Lambourne was described as “kind, compassionate and full of laughter” and her death left an “irreplaceable void” for those who loved her.

The judge said the evidence at the hearing showed Excell was trying to tear the family apart, adding: “The sad irony of your cruel behavior is that you have actually mended all the rifts in the family.”

For most of the murder investigation, police were unable to find the ax or the clothes Excell was wearing on CCTV.

The court heard that in September last year, teenagers fishing just north of Bexhill found a rucksack full of clothes and an ax sheath weighted with a sandbag in the water.

At sentencing, Judge Henson awarded them the High Sheriff’s award for uncovering important DNA evidence that could be put before a jury.

“Their astonishing judicial and responsible actions were truly remarkable for so young,” the judge said.

Speaking outside court, Ms Haldane, standing with her brother Andrew Cheese and Ms Lambourne’s daughters Lucie and Kerry, said Excell was behind bars “where he belongs”.

“On behalf of my family and all of his friends, we will miss him for the rest of our lives.

“Now we can sleep well at night and slowly start to build our lives and try to move forward as a really strong, united family.”

Detective Chief Inspector Alex Campbell, of Sussex Police, said the investigation involved months of “meticulous work” by detectives and specialist officers to trace what happened to Miss Lambourne that night through CCTV and forensic analysis and to trace Excell’s movements.

He added that the sentence ensured that “the man responsible for this brutal crime now faces the consequences of his actions.”