Robert Rhodes acquitted in 2017 on grounds of self-defence after manipulating a child to help in cover-up
A man who was previously cleared of killing his wife on the grounds of self-defence has been found guilty of her murder after their child came forward with new evidence under double jeopardy rules.
Robert Rhodes, 52, from Withleigh, Devon, was convicted at Inner London crown court of murdering his wife, Dawn, on 2 June 2016 after the jury returned a unanimous verdict, Surrey police said.
He was also found guilty of child cruelty by inflicting a wound to a child under 10 – who cannot be named for legal reasons – in an attempt to cover up this crime, perverting the course of justice by causing injuries to himself and the child, and by manipulating the child to cause them to injure him in an attempt to cover up what he had done.
Police said Rhodes had also been found guilty of committing perjury at the Old Bailey in 2017 and at the family court in 2018 for falsely giving evidence that he knew was untrue.
