Robert Rhodes, 53, who murdered his wife Dawn in their family home in Redhill, Surrey, in 2016, has had the minimum term of his life sentence increased from 29 and a half years to 33 and a half years after the Court of Appeal ruled the original sentence was “unduly lenient”. The increase means Rhodes will not be eligible for release until at least 2057, minus time already served in custody before his original sentencing.
Murder Plot and False Self-Defence Claim
Rhodes cut his wife’s throat after plotting the murder for months. Following the killing, he stabbed himself as part of a plan to claim self-defence. A jury at the Old Bailey initially believed his false story and acquitted him in 2017. However, he was later found guilty at a second trial at Inner London Crown Court in December last year of murder and perjury for giving false evidence at his first trial.
Solicitor General Ellie Reeves referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal as “unduly lenient”. Lawyers argued that the murder sentence alone should have had a starting point of 30 years before considering the other offences. Rhodes’ legal team contended the sentence should remain unchanged.
Court of Appeal Ruling
Lady Justice May, sitting with Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb and Judge Nigel Lickley KC, agreed the sentence was unduly lenient, describing the murder as “truly appalling” and adding: “We find it hard to conceive of a more heinous plot.” Tom Little KC, for the Solicitor General, noted that Rhodes had contemplated murder by January 2016 after discovering his wife’s affair, and that the case involved “significant planning and premeditation” and was of “exceptional seriousness”.
Nina Grahame KC, for Rhodes, argued that the trial judge was “best-placed” to decide the minimum term and that the sentence did not meet the threshold for being unduly lenient. She stated: “Some judges would consider it lenient. It does not reach the unduly lenient test in our submission, and the sentence should remain as is.”
Government Plans to Strengthen Sentencing for Domestic Killers
In separate news, the Ministry of Justice announced plans to close a 10-year sentencing gap for domestic murders committed at home. Currently, murders where a weapon is taken to the scene with intent to kill have a starting point of 25 years, but most domestic murders involve a weapon already in the home (e.g., a kitchen knife), leading to a 15-year starting point. The proposed change would increase the starting point to 25 years for domestic killers, aligning it with premeditated murders. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said: “For centuries, the law failed to protect women from violence at the hands of their partner... This change closes a long overdue gap and will ensure those who murder their partner face sentences that better reflect the devastating harm they cause.” The law change is subject to consultation with the Sentencing Council and will be introduced “as soon as possible”. More than a fifth of all murders are domestic, with women overwhelmingly the victims.
