A man who was previously acquitted of murdering his wife on grounds of self-defence has been found guilty after their child came forward with new evidence, in a case that invoked double jeopardy rules. Robert Rhodes, 52, from Withleigh, Devon, was convicted unanimously at Inner London Crown Court of murdering his wife, Dawn, on 2 June 2016.
Rhodes was also found guilty of child cruelty by inflicting a wound on a child under 10, perverting the course of justice by causing injuries to himself and the child, and manipulating the child to injure him in a cover-up. He was additionally convicted of perjury for giving false evidence at the Old Bailey in 2017 and at the family court in 2018.
The retrial jury heard that Rhodes had originally been acquitted in 2017 after the jury believed his account that Dawn had attacked him first. However, the child, who cannot be named, told their therapist in November 2021 that their father had planned the murder and manipulated them into being involved. Police said Rhodes described it as 'our plan' and made the child lie about how their mother died.
The child also revealed that during supervised contact with Rhodes while he was on bail, he continued to instruct them to stick to the plan and left messages on a hidden phone reminding them of the agreement. Rhodes's acquittal was quashed in November 2024, allowing a retrial.
Dawn's mother, Liz Spencer, described her as 'a loving daughter, sister and mother,' adding that 'being a mother was what brought joy to Dawn.' Clarrie O'Callaghan, co-founder of the Femicide Census, called the conviction 'an amazing result,' praising the tenacity of the police and CPS. Rhodes will be sentenced on 16 January.
