Lee Rhoades’ mum tragically died shortly after his brutal murder which will ‘forever haunt’ family
The aunt of murder victim Lee Rhoades has revealed that after hearing of her son’s death, his already ‘frail’ mum stopped eating and drinking and also sadly passed away. Susan Turner said that she had been buried with Lee’s ashes and that the horror of what had happened to him would ‘forever haunt’ the rest of the family. Her poignant and moving statement about the loss of 45-year-old Mr Rhoades was read to a court shortly before two men and a woman convicted of murdering him in a “sadistic” and “truly appalling” attack were each jailed for life.
Mrs Turner said in a statement that was read to the court by the prosecution: “Words will never be able to fully explain the grief felt by us all. We have had to endure a long trial, hearing in minute detail the sickening acts committed upon Lee by those now convicted of his murder. What we have heard will forever haunt us.
“When we were first told of what had taken place, it was a complete shock. When we then found out that he’d been beaten and tortured repeatedly over several hours, it caused so much pain, which we will never get over. “It has affected us all for the last eight months and will continue to do so.
We will never come to terms with how much he must have suffered. “Lee’s mother sadly passed away after Lee’s brutal murder. We buried her with his ashes.
She suffered with learning difficulties and had a stroke.
Lee Hailstone, Amie Kehoe and Keeran Edge were found guilty of murdering Lee Rhoades (Image: Humberside Police)
“We feared she was too frail to understand what had really taken place. We told her that he’d had an accident and had passed away. Upon hearing this, she gave up eating and drinking and passed away on June 2.
“Our fondest memories of Lee are the parties that his grandparents held for him. We would pay regular visits and it became apparent that he had a cheeky and fun sense of humour, saying things to us that are not suitable to be read out in court, but always in good humour.” Mrs Turner said: “Lee had a good heart.
He didn’t have a bad bone in his body. He was a severely underweight and easily-led individual with alcohol misuse issues. “It is astounding to think that anybody could be so brutal to another human being.
The attack on Lee was sustained and merciless and included an element of what was described during the trial as torture – a term we feel is fitting. “We as a family are all devastated by what has occurred. We will have to live with this knowledge for the rest of our lives.
“Our hope is that this will firmly remain firmly in the minds of those convicted and that it will weigh on their consciences for the rest of their days. There can be no excuses for what was done to Lee. He was shown no mercy during the prolonged and vicious attack.
“After being beaten and abused with a broom stick, he was left to slowly die over the next 24 hours. It sickens us to think of the pain and anguish that Lee must have gone through in his final hours. “Our one small comfort is that he is now at peace, resting forever with his mother.”
CSI officers outside a block of flats in Bathurst Street, Hull, after Lee Rhoades suffered fatal injuries. (Image: Hull Live)
Keeran Edge, 26, of Hull, and his accomplices Amie Kehoe, 24, of Blisland Close, Bransholme[1], Hull, and Lee Hailstone, 33, of Bathurst Street, all denied murdering Mr Rhoades as the result of an attack on him on March 11 but they were all found guilty by a jury after a trial that finished on November 24.
A fourth defendant, Garry Harris, 25, who had been living with Mr Rhoades at his flat in Bathurst Street at the time, denied murder and he was cleared by the jury. The three who were convicted of murder were all jailed for life during a sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court[2]. Edge will serve a minimum of 31 years behind bars before he can even be considered for release.
Kehoe will have to serve a minimum of 28 years and Hailstone, who had lesser involvement, will have to serve a minimum of 16 years. In each case, the 279 days that they had spent in custody on remand will be deducted. Edge, wearing a grey top, showed no emotion as he was led out of the secure dock to be taken down to the cells but made a phone gesture to his supporters in the public gallery indicating his wish to speak to them on the phone.
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Kehoe, wearing a black and luminous green fitness top, started to cry as she left the dock and looked towards the public gallery. Hailstone, wearing a pink top, put his hands to his face in apparent upset. The sickening and “sadistic” violence inflicted on vulnerable and defenceless murder victim Lee Rhoades has been condemned as “truly appalling” and “wholly unprovoked and cowardly” by the judge in the shocking case.
It was “senseless, relentless violence” and the brutal attackers showed “no mercy” and had “lost all common humanity”.
High Court judge Mr Justice Cotter said that Lee Rhoades was a “vulnerable man who would not fight back” and he was underweight and with long-term issues with alcohol.
“He had a good heart,” said the judge. “His death has devastated his wider family and what they heard during this trial sickened them and will always live with them.”
References
- ^ Bransholme (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Hull Crown Court (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ here (bit.ly)
- ^ here (bit.ly)