Man cleared of wife’s murder found guilty after child provides new evidence | Crime

A man who was previously cleared of killing his wife in self-defense was found guilty of killing her after his children presented new evidence under double jeopardy rules.

Robert Rhodes, 52, of Withleigh, Devon, was unanimously convicted of murdering his wife Dawn at Inner London Crown Court on June 2, 2016, nine years ago.

He was also found guilty of child cruelty by injuring a child under the age of 10 – whose name cannot be disclosed for legal reasons – in order to cover up this crime, perverting the course of justice by causing harm to himself and the child, and manipulating the child to harm himself in order to cover up what he had done.

Police said Rhodes was also found guilty at the Old Bailey in 2017 and at the family court in 2018 of falsely giving evidence that he knew was a lie.

He will be sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on January 16.

The retrial jury heard how Rhodes was acquitted of murder in 2017, with the original jury believing Dawn’s explanation that she had tried to attack him first and that he had acted in self-defence.

The main witness at the trial, the child under 10, told his therapist in November 2021 that their father planned Dawn’s murder and manipulated them into getting involved.

Police said Rhodes described it as “our plan” and then lied to the boy about how his mother died.

In an interview, the boy described how his father caused his relationship with his mother to deteriorate and how Rhodes manipulated them into helping him get rid of his mother.

The boy also told police that during supervised contact with Rhodes in 2016 and 2017, when he was out on bail after being charged with Dawn’s murder, he continued to give them instructions to stick to the plan and told them they were “doing some things wrong.”

Police said Rhodes continued to manipulate and groom the child, including hiding a phone in his own mother’s home and leaving messages for the child reminding him of their agreement.

Rhodes’ acquittal was overturned in November 2024 and a retrial was granted.

During the retrial, the court heard how the marriage was in trouble before Dawn’s death and Rhodes had filed for divorce.

Police said the boy called 999 at 7.34pm on June 2, during which Rhodes said his wife had attacked him and their children with a knife and that he had acted in self-defence.

Police found Dawn Rhodes on the kitchen floor, her neck cut to the extent that all structures had been severed.

Dawn’s mother, Liz Spencer, said she was a “loving daughter, sister and mother”, adding: “Being a mother brought joy to Dawn, she always wanted to be a mother and was so happy when she had children.

“Dawn was caring, talented and strong. She would do anything for anyone and was loved by her friends and family.”

Clarrie O’Callaghan, co-founder of the Femicide Count, said it was an “incredible result”, adding: “This is a moment when you want to herald the fact that sometimes the criminal justice system actually works. The police and CPS were determined to secure this conviction; the system can work.”