A “COLD and calculated” teen who battered his 15-year-old lover to death with a spanner over a £2,000 blackmail plot was today jailed for life.
Matthew Mason, 19, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 28 years after brutally killing Alex Rodda.]
He murdered schoolboy Alex in remote woodland in Cheshire on 12 December 2019 over fears he would expose their sexual relationship.
The killer lured his lover on the “pretence of sexual activity” before bludgeoning him in “cold blood”.
Alex was later found partially clothed by refuse collectors after he was reported missing.
Judge Everett told Mason: “There is only one sentence I can pass, that of life imprisonment. I must decide on the minimum term.
JAILED FOR LIFE
“I sentence you to custody for life with a minimum term of 28 years.”
He added: “You clearly encouraged your young victim to involve himself in what was clearly his first real sexual experience. In other words, you groomed him.
“In the days leading up to his death you send him messages inviting him to have sex in some special or secret place.
“You deliberately took that heavy wrench and you chose that spot. It was a devastating weapon.
“This was carefully planned and ruthlessly carried out, showing no empathy and a callous disregard for Alex, his family and friends.
This was carefully planned and ruthlessly carried out, showing no empathy and a callous disregard for Alex, his family and friends.Judge Everett
“You are a selfish individual and thought about nobody but yourself.”
Alex’s dad Adam Rodda today gave a powerful victim impact statement and said he has “struggled not to take my own life to be with Alex”.
He told the court: “I will miss the cherished times we had. Even at 15 he would sleep in my bed with me.
“I would tease him and say ‘aw you’ve slept in your dad’s bed’ and he would say ‘shut up dad’.
“I will never have that again. I have struggled not to take my own life to be with Alex.
DAD’S HEARTACHE
“This is further devastation that I am already suffering and the pain I should never have to feel.
“Whatever sentence he receives, he will still have a life; still be able to see his family during his incarceration and when he gets out he will be able to do all the things Alex would love to have been able to do.
“My opinion is that Matthew Mason did not tell the truth about what happened – he weaved a web of deceit.
“He is a sexual abuser and a child murderer and I never experienced someone so cold.”
His dad continued: “If I know the suffering he went through I can also suffer the pain he suffered and I can share the pain, then I would feel he has not suffered alone.
I have struggled not to take my own life to be with Alex. Alex’s Dad
“I will never know what happened. I feel like I failed to protect my beautiful boy and I will never get over that feeling.
“I will never get the chance to see him experience things in life that we all take for granted; having a loving relationship, getting married, having children, learning to drive and owning a car – something he was particular looking forward to.
“I am personally devastated for my poor boy feeling scared and alone before his death.
“I will not rest until I know what happened to my little boy.”
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