31 January 2023 , 14:21
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A “warped and angry” double killer who slit the throats of his girlfriend and another man within weeks of being released from prison is facing two life sentences.
Lee Peacock, 50, murdered Sharon Pickles, 46, before wrapping her body in a duvet and hiding it under the bed on 16 August 2021.
Peacock was out to “punish” his partner and Clinton Ashmore, 59, during a two-day violent spree through Westminster in August 2021, the Old Bailey heard.
The self-confessed burglar and thief turned the 4cm-long knife on himself when police tracked him down to a houseboat on the Grand Union Canal after a five-day manhunt.
Peacock, who had only been released from prison on June 4 2021, admitted killing the pair but denied it was murder.
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He killed girlfriend Sharon Pickles before wrapping her body in a duvet (Metropolitan Police / SWNS.COM)
Clinton Ashmore was also found dead (Metropolitan Police / SWNS.COM)He claimed the death of his “other half” was a “pure accident” and that Mr Ashmore “went mental” and punched him in the head after Peacock confessed to killing Ms Pickles.
He claimed Mr Ashmore was part of a gang he blamed for exploiting Ms Pickles while he was in jail by selling her drugs.
A jury retired at the Old Bailey on Tuesday and deliberated for two hours and 20 minutes to find Peacock guilty of the double murder.
Mr Justice Murray adjourned sentencing until Wednesday morning.
During the trial, prosecutor Edward Brown KC had described Peacock’s actions as “cold-blooded” and “determined”.
Peacock previously told jurors: "I know I'm not a monster. I never wanted to harm my partner. Clinton, I'm sorry but he caused it.
Police at the murder scene in Marylebone, London, in 2021 (SWNS)Peacock was said to have self-harmed when officers found him, and was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Ms Pickles' father David Pickles said in a victim impact statement that losing his daughter had had a devastating effect, only two years after the death of his wife in 2019.
He said: "It left me numb, I have found it impossible to celebrate birthdays or even Christmas because my daughter wasn't at rest and had no peace.
"It doesn't feel real that Sharon is gone, I miss her more than words can describe."
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Her brother Robert Pickles said: "When details started emerging about Sharon's death I couldn't comprehend what had happened.
CCTV shows Lee Peacock at North Wembley Station on the night of the killings (Metropolitan Police / SWNS.COM)"The last 17 months have taken a toll mentally and psychically. The hardest part was listening to someone trying to excuse and justify their actions."
She also left behind a daughter.
Prosecutor Edward Brown KC had challenged Peacock's account of the killings.
He said: "So far as Sharon Pickles is concerned, your account is that it was a complete accident. And to the extent that you caused the injuries that you did in a sense you were in control of your actions but it was an accident?"
Peacock replied: "Not in any possible way did I intend to cause Sharon harm or serious harm. It's impossible. In 15 years I have known her I have never ever been violent to anyone."
Mr Brown said: "I suggest you were exceptionally angry at the idea that Sharon had been having sexual relations - 'your girl'."
The defendant denied it but said he was angry at people he thought were "cuckooing" her.
The prosecutor challenged Peacock's claim that he killed Mr Ashmore in "self defence" after being punched in the head.
"I suggest the prosecution does not have to prove a motive but there is one here - it was revenge. He was part of the group of people you blamed for Sharon's downfall as you saw it.
"It was planned to go and kill who you could find, who was responsible for Sharon's downfall," Mr Brown said.
Peacock responded: "I was looking for people to help me."
Asked about the circumstances in which he produced his knife, he said: "It was in my hand when I got it out to show him because he did not believe I killed Sharon - I did it and immediately I was horrified. It was immediately obvious, like I could not believe that someone could die that quickly."
Mr Brown said: "This injury was approximately 4cm deep - that is approximately the length of the cutting edge of the blade. The neck is obviously a vulnerable part of the body and you knew that."
Peacock insisted he "adored" Ms Pickles, adding: "I sat in a cell for 18 months thinking about this - I don't know how this happened.
"I have no explanation. I do not know how my brain works, all I know it doesn't work correctly."