Two Nottinghamshire brothers who murdered an 85-year-old pensioner in a "vicious and violent" assault have been handed life sentences. Matthew Roe, 25, of Franklin Road, Jacksdale, and Luke Roe, 34, of Potter Street, Worksop, were found guilty of the killing of Henry Thwaites, a convicted paedophile.
Appearing for sentencing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, June 5, the pair were said to have made Mr Thwaites "drive to his own death" by promising to go for a car viewing. The brothers instead led him to a remote location before launching a "vicious and violent" attack.
They received a combined sentence of 49 years behind bars for the crime. At the time the pensioner was visiting their mother, Catherine Roe, who was a longstanding friend, from his home in Ramsgate, Kent. He had come into a substantial amount of money and was planning to buy her a car and a house.
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He also had agreed to buy the brothers a car. The two brothers left with Mr Thwaites at about 10.25pm on July 23, minutes before he died, under the false pretences of going to view a car. They were seen on CCTV getting into the pensioner's grey Fiat Punto, which was tracked by ANPR cameras and other CCTV cameras, going south out of Worksop and turning into the quiet rural road of Limetree Avenue.
"You got him in effect to drive himself to his own death," said Judge Shant. "He didn't know the area. You both attacked him, first in the car, he was then either taken out of the car or moved out himself before the attack continued."
She said he was found with his head wedged in the bottom of a metal fence by the Welbeck Estate, where he was left either dead or dying. "This was a pre-planned attack by both of you," Judge Shant continued.
Addressing Matthew Roe, she said he had boasted about the killing whilst drinking later on and admitted to burning his own clothes as he had "banged him so hard". Mr Thwaites' skull was badly damaged in the attack.
The murder weapon was never found. The Fiat was driven to the home of defendant Abby Dixon, 27, of Watson Road, Woksop, who was convicted of assisting an offender.
Following his murder, Mr Thwaites' bank card was used to try and withdraw money from a Sainsbury's ATM. The brothers returned to the scene of the crime on the same night but did nothing help, said Judge Shant.
Luke Roe was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison, whilst Mattew Roe was handed a 24-year prison term. They were both convicted of murder of May 26.
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