Alex Rodda death: Blackmailed man 'killed boy in self defence'

A boy who was blackmailing a man over their "sexual relationship" was killed in an act of "violence" which he started, a court has been told.

Matthew Mason, 19, denies murdering Alex Rodda, 15, in Ashley, Cheshire, on 12 December 2019.

Chester Crown Court has heard Mr Mason had paid more than £2,000 to stop Alex revealing their "sexual relationship".

Gordon Cole QC, defending, said jurors should consider the killing to be self-defence or a loss of control.

He said Mr Mason had been "persuaded" by Alex to engage in sexual acts and then been blackmailed into giving him money to stop him telling everyone about their "relationship".

He said the then-18-year-old had agreed to meet Alex on 12 December with the intention of telling him "this behaviour, this blackmail, had to stop".

The jury heard Mr Mason had picked up the 15-year-old shortly before 17:30 GMT and drove him to the remote woodland, where his car remained for at least 35 minutes.

Mr Cole told the jury Mr Mason had armed himself with a wrench, which was used to kill Alex, to frighten the boy, but the "violence that commenced in the woods was... violence started by Alex Rodda".

Earlier, Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting, told the court Mr Mason had had "murder on his mind" and had searched the internet on 6 December for "what would happen if you kicked someone down the stairs", "everyday poison" and "mysteries of Cheshire unsolved deaths of missing people".

He said after battering Alex to death with the wrench, the then-18-year-old drove to the Red Lion pub in Pickmere, where he told his friends that spots of blood on his jeans had come from a nosebleed.

The prosecutor said Mr Mason had then met the Young Farmers' Club at the Golden Pheasant pub in Plumley at about 20:00 GMT, where someone who knew had said he "appeared to be his normal happy self".

He said the then-18-year-old left after about 90 minutes and the jury was shown CCTV of his car returning to the woods at about 01:00 where it remained for about an hour.

Mr Unsworth said the jury should consider whether Mr Mason had intended to move Alex's body at that time.

The trial continues.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]