Jacksdale man and his brother beat paedophile pensioner so savagely his skull was fractured in multiple places, court told

The body of 85-year-old Henry Thwaites was found by the roadside in Lime Tree Avenue, Clumber Park, in the morning of Sunday, July 24, last year.

Luke Roe, aged 34, of Potter Street, Worksop, and 25-year-old Matthew Roe, of Franklin Road, Jacksdale, both deny his murder, along with four counts of fraud for allegedly trying to use Mr Thwaites’s bank card following his death.

Luke Roe is also charged with criminal damage for allegedly smashing the windscreen of a friend’s car in Retford later on the Sunday morning.

Abigail Dixon, 27, of Watson Road, Worksop, denies two counts of assisting an offender, by allegedly helping the brothers to clean up after the alleged murder and also burning their clothing.

The brother’s father, Kevin Roe, 61, also of Watson Road, had also been charged with two counts of assisting an offender, but has been ruled unfit to stand trial due to ill health.

The court heard Mr Thwaites had been a close friend of the brothers’ mother before the family moved to the Worksop area from Kent in the 1990s, but they had later lost touch.

However, in early 2022, the pensioner had reconnected with the mother and offered to buy her a car after coming into money – about £34,000 – Nottingham Crown Court was told on the first full day of the trial today, April 3.

John Cammegh KC, prosecuting, told the court Mr Thwaites was a convicted sex offender and had received two lengthy prison sentences for offences on males historically.

But shortly after his arrival at the crowded Potter Street property, the brothers may have become aware of an alleged sexual assault carried out by the pensioner on another party known to them both, the court heard.

Mr Thwaites purchased the mother a Suzuki vehicle for £600 and the brothers then asked him to buy them a Mercedes car, also valued at £600.

CCTV later showed Mr Thwaites climbing into his Fiat Punto car with Luke and Matthew Roe to go and look at the vehicle.

His body was found partly concealed partly under a fence the following morning by a passer-by, who notified police.

Meanwhile, the mother – identified in court as Catherine Roe – and other relatives went to the home of her estranged husband when Mr Thwaites was discovered to be gone from her address and saw the pair climbing into his Fiat Punto, which by now had a damaged windscreen, and drive away at speed.

The party then attended Worksop Police Station and reported Mr Thwaites missing – police quickly discovered the body found in Clumber Park was the same person.

Police were able to track the vehicle using ANPR cameras, which was finally stopped with the use of a stinger as it headed north out of Retford, on Cricket Field Lane.

Both men were arrested and taken to Mansfield Police Station.

Police also found recently burned ash in an incinerator in a rear yard at Watson Road.

The trial, which is set to run for seven weeks, continues.