Riley Peckham has appeal against sentence thrown out after murder of Downham Market man Matthew Rodwell

A murderer who killed a “devoted” father has had an appeal against his prison sentence thrown out.

In April last year, Riley Peckham, then 23, and his father Wayne, then 48, were found guilty of murdering Matthew Rodwell in Downham.

The pair were handed life sentences, with Peckham Snr to serve a minimum of 24 years and Peckham Jnr, now 24, to serve a minimum of 18 years.

This came after an attack at Mr Rodwell's home address at Bulrush Avenue in Downham on January 23, 2022, where both men beat the victim through punches, kicks and stamps.

Peckham Snr and Jnr denied the murder of Mr Rodwell, which led to a six-week long trial at Norwich Crown Court.

The entire incident was heard on a phone call to police started by the victim, with Peckham Jnr twice heard saying: "You are going to die."

However, he recently made an appeal against his sentence.

The Court of Appeal’s criminal division considered the renewed application for leave to appeal against conviction only, and refused the application.

The hearing was held on March 8 this year.

Following the sentencing last year, Judge Anthony Bate described the murder as a "brutal and sustained assault" in which Mr Rodwell also suffered mentally prior to his death.

Mr Rodwell had been in a relationship with Peckham Snr's former wife, Kerry Peckham, who is the mother of Peckham Jnr.

Solicitor Allison Summers, who represented Peckham Jnr during last year’s trial, said he had felt genuine remorse following the incident.

"The words you're going to die were of a fighting nature rather than a reliable representation of his intentions,” she said.