The Court of Appeal increases the sentence of Robert Rhodes after ruling that the original term was unduly lenient. The BBC reports that Rhodes’s sentence is increased by four years. The Mirror says the minimum term of Rhodes’s life sentence is raised from 29-and-a-half years to 33-and-a-half years following his murder of his wife.
Both accounts describe Rhodes as manipulating a child in connection with the offence, including tricking the child into helping him. The Court of Appeal’s decision reflects that the panel considers the punishment imposed at first instance did not adequately reflect the seriousness of the crimes and the circumstances described in court.
The sources agree on the key outcome: Rhodes’s life sentence remains in place, but the minimum time he must serve before being eligible for release increases, moving from 29-and-a-half years to 33-and-a-half years.
