HongKongPhooey
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Summing up would make it a very straightforward decision for me if I was on the jury. Guilty IMO.
GUILTY UK - Alex Rodda, 15, murdered, Cheshire village, Ashley,13 Dec 2019 *Arrest*
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I am sure the jury will very quickly come to an unanimous verdict of guilty.
It is a shame they could not have been sent out today and not have to return in January,particularly with the risk of some of them having to self isolate due to Covid.
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Parker Knoll
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I thought it was an odd time to pause. I would of finished Monday night then had closing speeches and summing up on the 4th jan.
margarita25
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(seconding, thank you @Legally Bland . I hadn’t followed this case until now. That was one heck of a read
)whatawaster
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Trial resumed this morning..
10:25
Prosecution and defence set to deliver closing speeches
Later this morning, prosecutor Mr Ian Unsworth QC and defence lawyer Mr Gordon Cole QC, are set to deliver their closing speeches.
Judge Steven Everett is currently going through a sequence of events document which outlines all of the evidence that the jury have heard in a timeline.
The document details the times when Matthew Mason and Alex Rodda were in contact.
It also details the dates of the 19 payments made by Matthew Mason to Alex Rodda between November 4, 2019 and December 9. The last payment of £30 was made on December 9, the judge said.
The sequence of events document also outlines Matthew Mason's four Google entries for internet searches on December 6, including searches for 'everyday poison' and 'people missing in Cheshire'.
10:33
Judge sets out defendant's movements on day Alex died
The judge is continuing to go through the sequence of events document with the jury,
The document sets out the details and times of events on December 12, the day he allegedly murdered Alex.
It sets out the last record of Alex's phone and then the movement of Matthew Mason's car.
The document sets out the time that Matthew Mason arrived at the Red Lion pub and then the time that he travelled to the Golden Pheasant to meet the Young Farmers.
It then sets out the first attempts made by Alex's family to contact him following his death.
10:38
Judge to go through key evidence tomorrow to jury
Judge Everett tells the jury that he will go over the key evidence in detail tomorrow.
The sequence of events document has been made to help them with their deliberations
10:56
This is a desperately tragic case', prosecutor says
Prosecutor Mr Ian Unsworth QC is now delivering his closing speech.
"Life is precious. Life is hard", he tells the jury.
"Cases about the loss of life are understandably hard but the loss of a young life even more so.
"This is a desperately tragic case. A 15-year-old boy, a school boy, killed at the hands of an 18-year-old man with previous good character."
11:25
Alex's life was cut short before it had really begun'
Mr Unsworth QC asks the jury to consider how such a devastating incident could have happened.
"Anyone would want to try and work out the route by which a precious young life came to an end in such a dreadfully violent way.
"This young man in the dock is of hitherto good character. He had a job and good prospects.
"We have had the benefit of hearing his voice and it would be difficult not to have sympathy for his plight."
Mr Unsworth tells the jury that 'Alex's voice can no longer be heard'.
He describes him as an 'outgoing, warm, loyal and generous' boy.
He said he was 'loved by all that knew him'.
"His life was cut short before it had really begun", the prosecutor says.
"Bludgeoned to death and left face-down, his young and broken body, partially naked body, in an isolated farm several miles away from where he lived with his mum."
11:27
He did not deserve this'
Mr Unsworth QC tells the jury there is a 'volume of evidence in this case'.
Though the evidence can focus on three key areas - the day before the killing, the day of the killing and after the killing.
The prosecutor reminds the jury of evidence that was heard about Alex.
Alex was openly gay and had a loyal circle of friends.
He had told his friends about his new relationship with Matthew Mason and described it in 'relatively positive terms'.
He told his friends that he and the defendant had been having sex and that this had taken place at his mum's house.
Alex's friends knew about the money that Matthew Mason had been sending him, Mr Unsworth QC says.
It may have started after Matthew Mason offered him money first, then Alex took advantage of this, jurors are told.
"There may be some that thought and still think that perhaps Alex did not carry himself in glory during this period but we say to you that manifestly, he did not deserve this."
10:25
Prosecution and defence set to deliver closing speeches
Later this morning, prosecutor Mr Ian Unsworth QC and defence lawyer Mr Gordon Cole QC, are set to deliver their closing speeches.
Judge Steven Everett is currently going through a sequence of events document which outlines all of the evidence that the jury have heard in a timeline.
The document details the times when Matthew Mason and Alex Rodda were in contact.
It also details the dates of the 19 payments made by Matthew Mason to Alex Rodda between November 4, 2019 and December 9. The last payment of £30 was made on December 9, the judge said.
The sequence of events document also outlines Matthew Mason's four Google entries for internet searches on December 6, including searches for 'everyday poison' and 'people missing in Cheshire'.
10:33
Judge sets out defendant's movements on day Alex died
The judge is continuing to go through the sequence of events document with the jury,
The document sets out the details and times of events on December 12, the day he allegedly murdered Alex.
It sets out the last record of Alex's phone and then the movement of Matthew Mason's car.
The document sets out the time that Matthew Mason arrived at the Red Lion pub and then the time that he travelled to the Golden Pheasant to meet the Young Farmers.
It then sets out the first attempts made by Alex's family to contact him following his death.
10:38
Judge to go through key evidence tomorrow to jury
Judge Everett tells the jury that he will go over the key evidence in detail tomorrow.
The sequence of events document has been made to help them with their deliberations
10:56
This is a desperately tragic case', prosecutor says
Prosecutor Mr Ian Unsworth QC is now delivering his closing speech.
"Life is precious. Life is hard", he tells the jury.
"Cases about the loss of life are understandably hard but the loss of a young life even more so.
"This is a desperately tragic case. A 15-year-old boy, a school boy, killed at the hands of an 18-year-old man with previous good character."
11:25
Alex's life was cut short before it had really begun'
Mr Unsworth QC asks the jury to consider how such a devastating incident could have happened.
"Anyone would want to try and work out the route by which a precious young life came to an end in such a dreadfully violent way.
"This young man in the dock is of hitherto good character. He had a job and good prospects.
"We have had the benefit of hearing his voice and it would be difficult not to have sympathy for his plight."
Mr Unsworth tells the jury that 'Alex's voice can no longer be heard'.
He describes him as an 'outgoing, warm, loyal and generous' boy.
He said he was 'loved by all that knew him'.
"His life was cut short before it had really begun", the prosecutor says.
"Bludgeoned to death and left face-down, his young and broken body, partially naked body, in an isolated farm several miles away from where he lived with his mum."
11:27
He did not deserve this'
Mr Unsworth QC tells the jury there is a 'volume of evidence in this case'.
Though the evidence can focus on three key areas - the day before the killing, the day of the killing and after the killing.
The prosecutor reminds the jury of evidence that was heard about Alex.
Alex was openly gay and had a loyal circle of friends.
He had told his friends about his new relationship with Matthew Mason and described it in 'relatively positive terms'.
He told his friends that he and the defendant had been having sex and that this had taken place at his mum's house.
Alex's friends knew about the money that Matthew Mason had been sending him, Mr Unsworth QC says.
It may have started after Matthew Mason offered him money first, then Alex took advantage of this, jurors are told.
"There may be some that thought and still think that perhaps Alex did not carry himself in glory during this period but we say to you that manifestly, he did not deserve this."
whatawaster
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11:34
Mr Unsworth QC is now going through a sequence of events with the jury.
On November 3 there were a series of communications involving Alex and his friends, he says.
Alex first sent a message to Matthew's girlfriend Caitlyn asking whether they were going out. He then sent a screenshot of a conversation between him and Matthew Mason, where he tells him that 'this was wrong'.
"This was Alex, a 15-year-old schoolboy, telling an 18-year-old man that this was wrong", Mr Unsworth says.
Alex then tells Caitlyn that Matthew Mason had sent him explicit pictures.
"Right from the very outset the defendant's girlfriend was told that there had been contact between Matthew Mason and Alex Rodda," Mr Unsworth QC says.
"She could not have been under any illusions about that.
"But the relationship between the defendant and Alex was not finished, it had only begun."
The prosecutor reminds the jury of cell site data and the movements of Matthew Mason's car in the lead up to Alex's death.
"These two people then engaged in very rapid and very sudden sexual contact", Mr Unsworth QC says.
11:39
The prosecutor tells jurors that during the trial, Matthew Mason has tried to 'weave a story around the known facts'.
"Even during this trial, Cheshire Police have had to carry out a search of an area where the defendant said, for the first time in this witness box, that he had disposed of Alex's phone", Mr Unsworth QC says.
The prosecutor says that Matthew Mason changed his evidence after hearing the telematics evidence in court.
"Was he trying to give his evidence some gloss and engage in some victim blaming?" he asks the jury.
11:47
The prosecutor is continuing to deliver his closing speech to the jury.
He reminds them of Alex's job at the Windmill Inn public house.
Alex revealed to his colleague at the pub that he had been engaging in a sexual relationship with an older man, the jury is told.
The colleague understood that Matthew Mason was sending money to Alex to ensure that 'nobody was told about their encounters'.
Mr Unsworth QC asks the jurors to consider the prospect of 'blackmail'.
"What we do know though is that for reasons that only Matthew Mason knows there are matters on that phone of Alex's that he would never wish you to see", he says,
"Potentially, there is material there which would describe the true nature of that relationship.
"Was there a reason that Alex would have for putting on those heart emojis as he made his way to his place of death?
"Was there a reason that he felt that this was someone special to him?
"We invite you to consider this timeline for what it is. It is a sequence for known events, there are days that are missing.
"He knows, and Alex can't tell us."
11:56
Mr Unsworth QC reminds the jury of messages sent between the defendant and Alex about specific amounts of money.
"There is no suggestion of any threats", he says.
"We fully accept that these payments were demands from Alex, all we ask you to do is look at the context, was it simply demands or was it accompanied by sexual activities going on at the same time?"
A friend told Alex that what he was doing was 'not fair'. Alex then told her that he would go to the police if Matthew Mason stopped the payments, the jury was told.
"This was not a threat to Mr Mason", the prosecutor says.
He adds: "This was not simply someone demanding money and having no contact with the person they are receiving the money from, there was a full-blown sexual relationship going on at the time."
12:02
The prosecutor reminds the jury that Matthew Mason said he felt 'suicidal' in the lead up to Alex's death.
Mr Unsworth QC asks the jury to consider whether this was true, given the evidence that the defendant had been attending college, work and rehearsals for a play with the Young Farmers.
"There is no doubt that he had become quiet at particular times, but there is no doubt that he acting perfectly normal on the night of December 12", he says.
12:05
The jury is being reminded of Matthew Mason's internet searches on December 6.He searched 'what would happen if you kicked someone down the stairs', 'everyday poison', 'things that are poisonous' and 'people missing in Cheshire'.
"How does this coincide with an act of self defence?", Mr Unsworth QC asks the jury.
"An act of self-defence that we say, is as far from an act of self-defence as possible.
"Was it the defendant's plight that Alex would be another unsolved death in Cheshire?"
12:54
Jurors are reminded that Matthew Mason had a tracker in his car. This had been installed by an insurance company.
The prosecutor suggests that the defendant might have 'overlooked' this or 'was not aware that it could provide GPS recordings'.
"We suggest that while Mr Mason might have had murder on his mind at the time, he had not thought of everything", Mr Unsworth says.
13:00
The prosecutor is now going over the events of December 7.
Mr Mason only accepted that he had been at Alex's house that day during the trial.
Mr Unsworth details text messages that Alex had sent to his friends that evening.
Shortly after Matthew Mason left Alex's house, Alex told his friend that he felt sick after having sexual intercourse, the jury is told.
His friend replied: "That's what you get for being a prostitute", and Alex replied: "Money, money, money".
13:20
The prosecutor tells the jury how on December 12, Alex Rodda and Matthew Mason's 'worlds collided for the last time'.
Matthew Mason went to the college as normal that day, before picking Alex up from a street near his house, the court hears.
Alex had FaceTimed his friends that afternoon. He told one how it was 'weird' that the defendant wanted to take him to a 'special or secret place in the forest'.
The prosecutor reminds the jury of CCTV evidence which captures Alex leaving his house. He then sends a Snapchat picture with a 'double love heart emoji' from Matthew Mason's car, Mr Unsworth QC says.
"The defendant says that within 30 minutes of that photo being sent, Alex had been bludgeoned to death", he adds.
"We know that the defendant had taken the wrench to the woods with him."
13:22
The jury is asked to consider whether Matthew Mason acted in self-defence.
Mr Unsworth QC reminds the jury of the evidence of the pathologist.
The majority of Alex's injuries were focused on the back of Alex's head, the jury is told.
There were 'multiple lacerations' - and at least 15 injuries to the head.
There was bruising to the hands of the body which could have been 'defensive in nature'.
"The overall pattern of injury was indicative of a violent, repetitive assault with a blunt weapon", Dr Johnson's report states.
The defendant himself indicated that what he did was 'disproportionate' to 'whatever threat Alex' provided, Mr Unsworth QC says.
The defendant, when interviewed by police, told them marks on his face were spots. Then, to the jury, he said that Alex had hit with the spanner, the prosecutor says.
"Any common sense view would be that what happened was not an act of self-defence", he said.
13:26
The prosecutor asks the jury to consider whether Alex was in 'the most vulnerable of positions' when he was killed.
He asks them to consider evidence heard previously that Matthew Mason's trousers had been undone at the time Alex was killed.
"What we also know is that although Alex must have known his fate shortly after the first blow, that he would have still been alive", Mr Unsworth QC tells the jury.
"The defendant himself says that he was able to breath as he left him.
"What we know is that the defendant was able to sit inside those pubs afterwards and carry on as normal when it was far from it."
Mr Unsworth QC is now going through a sequence of events with the jury.
On November 3 there were a series of communications involving Alex and his friends, he says.
Alex first sent a message to Matthew's girlfriend Caitlyn asking whether they were going out. He then sent a screenshot of a conversation between him and Matthew Mason, where he tells him that 'this was wrong'.
"This was Alex, a 15-year-old schoolboy, telling an 18-year-old man that this was wrong", Mr Unsworth says.
Alex then tells Caitlyn that Matthew Mason had sent him explicit pictures.
"Right from the very outset the defendant's girlfriend was told that there had been contact between Matthew Mason and Alex Rodda," Mr Unsworth QC says.
"She could not have been under any illusions about that.
"But the relationship between the defendant and Alex was not finished, it had only begun."
The prosecutor reminds the jury of cell site data and the movements of Matthew Mason's car in the lead up to Alex's death.
"These two people then engaged in very rapid and very sudden sexual contact", Mr Unsworth QC says.
11:39
The prosecutor tells jurors that during the trial, Matthew Mason has tried to 'weave a story around the known facts'.
"Even during this trial, Cheshire Police have had to carry out a search of an area where the defendant said, for the first time in this witness box, that he had disposed of Alex's phone", Mr Unsworth QC says.
The prosecutor says that Matthew Mason changed his evidence after hearing the telematics evidence in court.
"Was he trying to give his evidence some gloss and engage in some victim blaming?" he asks the jury.
11:47
The prosecutor is continuing to deliver his closing speech to the jury.
He reminds them of Alex's job at the Windmill Inn public house.
Alex revealed to his colleague at the pub that he had been engaging in a sexual relationship with an older man, the jury is told.
The colleague understood that Matthew Mason was sending money to Alex to ensure that 'nobody was told about their encounters'.
Mr Unsworth QC asks the jurors to consider the prospect of 'blackmail'.
"What we do know though is that for reasons that only Matthew Mason knows there are matters on that phone of Alex's that he would never wish you to see", he says,
"Potentially, there is material there which would describe the true nature of that relationship.
"Was there a reason that Alex would have for putting on those heart emojis as he made his way to his place of death?
"Was there a reason that he felt that this was someone special to him?
"We invite you to consider this timeline for what it is. It is a sequence for known events, there are days that are missing.
"He knows, and Alex can't tell us."
11:56
Mr Unsworth QC reminds the jury of messages sent between the defendant and Alex about specific amounts of money.
"There is no suggestion of any threats", he says.
"We fully accept that these payments were demands from Alex, all we ask you to do is look at the context, was it simply demands or was it accompanied by sexual activities going on at the same time?"
A friend told Alex that what he was doing was 'not fair'. Alex then told her that he would go to the police if Matthew Mason stopped the payments, the jury was told.
"This was not a threat to Mr Mason", the prosecutor says.
He adds: "This was not simply someone demanding money and having no contact with the person they are receiving the money from, there was a full-blown sexual relationship going on at the time."
12:02
The prosecutor reminds the jury that Matthew Mason said he felt 'suicidal' in the lead up to Alex's death.
Mr Unsworth QC asks the jury to consider whether this was true, given the evidence that the defendant had been attending college, work and rehearsals for a play with the Young Farmers.
"There is no doubt that he had become quiet at particular times, but there is no doubt that he acting perfectly normal on the night of December 12", he says.
12:05
The jury is being reminded of Matthew Mason's internet searches on December 6.He searched 'what would happen if you kicked someone down the stairs', 'everyday poison', 'things that are poisonous' and 'people missing in Cheshire'.
"How does this coincide with an act of self defence?", Mr Unsworth QC asks the jury.
"An act of self-defence that we say, is as far from an act of self-defence as possible.
"Was it the defendant's plight that Alex would be another unsolved death in Cheshire?"
12:54
Jurors are reminded that Matthew Mason had a tracker in his car. This had been installed by an insurance company.
The prosecutor suggests that the defendant might have 'overlooked' this or 'was not aware that it could provide GPS recordings'.
"We suggest that while Mr Mason might have had murder on his mind at the time, he had not thought of everything", Mr Unsworth says.
13:00
The prosecutor is now going over the events of December 7.
Mr Mason only accepted that he had been at Alex's house that day during the trial.
Mr Unsworth details text messages that Alex had sent to his friends that evening.
Shortly after Matthew Mason left Alex's house, Alex told his friend that he felt sick after having sexual intercourse, the jury is told.
His friend replied: "That's what you get for being a prostitute", and Alex replied: "Money, money, money".
13:20
The prosecutor tells the jury how on December 12, Alex Rodda and Matthew Mason's 'worlds collided for the last time'.
Matthew Mason went to the college as normal that day, before picking Alex up from a street near his house, the court hears.
Alex had FaceTimed his friends that afternoon. He told one how it was 'weird' that the defendant wanted to take him to a 'special or secret place in the forest'.
The prosecutor reminds the jury of CCTV evidence which captures Alex leaving his house. He then sends a Snapchat picture with a 'double love heart emoji' from Matthew Mason's car, Mr Unsworth QC says.
"The defendant says that within 30 minutes of that photo being sent, Alex had been bludgeoned to death", he adds.
"We know that the defendant had taken the wrench to the woods with him."
13:22
The jury is asked to consider whether Matthew Mason acted in self-defence.
Mr Unsworth QC reminds the jury of the evidence of the pathologist.
The majority of Alex's injuries were focused on the back of Alex's head, the jury is told.
There were 'multiple lacerations' - and at least 15 injuries to the head.
There was bruising to the hands of the body which could have been 'defensive in nature'.
"The overall pattern of injury was indicative of a violent, repetitive assault with a blunt weapon", Dr Johnson's report states.
The defendant himself indicated that what he did was 'disproportionate' to 'whatever threat Alex' provided, Mr Unsworth QC says.
The defendant, when interviewed by police, told them marks on his face were spots. Then, to the jury, he said that Alex had hit with the spanner, the prosecutor says.
"Any common sense view would be that what happened was not an act of self-defence", he said.
13:26
The prosecutor asks the jury to consider whether Alex was in 'the most vulnerable of positions' when he was killed.
He asks them to consider evidence heard previously that Matthew Mason's trousers had been undone at the time Alex was killed.
"What we also know is that although Alex must have known his fate shortly after the first blow, that he would have still been alive", Mr Unsworth QC tells the jury.
"The defendant himself says that he was able to breath as he left him.
"What we know is that the defendant was able to sit inside those pubs afterwards and carry on as normal when it was far from it."
whatawaster
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13:30
What Matthew Mason did was tell lies and he told lie after lie", Mr Unsworth tells the jury.
He outlines the events after Alex's death, and how Matthew Mason visited the woods again in the early hours of the following morning. He then took his car and drove towards Yorkshire.
"He had been running from the truth", Mr Unsworth QC says.
Mr Mason says that he was not ready to speak to the police.
"What we say is that it was his choice to make no comment in interview and it was his choice to stay silent," the prosecutor said.
"What he has sought to do is weave a story around known facts."
13:32
The prosecutor delivers his final part of his closing speech to the jury.
"I began this address to you by saying that life is hard", he says.
"Indeed, it is and cases like this are hard.
"But we say that the evidence is simple.
"It is straight forward and it is simple.
"The evidence is that Matthew Mason murdered Alex Rodda."
Mr Unsworth QC has finished delivering his closing speech.
The jury is now on a break and the court will return at 2.15pm.
What Matthew Mason did was tell lies and he told lie after lie", Mr Unsworth tells the jury.
He outlines the events after Alex's death, and how Matthew Mason visited the woods again in the early hours of the following morning. He then took his car and drove towards Yorkshire.
"He had been running from the truth", Mr Unsworth QC says.
Mr Mason says that he was not ready to speak to the police.
"What we say is that it was his choice to make no comment in interview and it was his choice to stay silent," the prosecutor said.
"What he has sought to do is weave a story around known facts."
13:32
The prosecutor delivers his final part of his closing speech to the jury.
"I began this address to you by saying that life is hard", he says.
"Indeed, it is and cases like this are hard.
"But we say that the evidence is simple.
"It is straight forward and it is simple.
"The evidence is that Matthew Mason murdered Alex Rodda."
Mr Unsworth QC has finished delivering his closing speech.
The jury is now on a break and the court will return at 2.15pm.
whatawaster
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14:27
The case has resumed
The jury is now back in court after the break.
This afternoon, Matthew Mason’s defence lawyer Mr Gordon Cole QC is set to deliver his closing speech.
14:31
"To suggest this was a case of self-defence flies in the case of common sense"
Mr Cole QC reminds the jury of two issues set out at the start of the trial - self-defence and loss of control.
He says that trials develop and witnesses give their evidence and issues become clarified.
“We agree with the prosecution that when you come to consider what took place, we agree that to suggest to you that this was a case of self-defence flies in the case of common sense and I’m not going to do that”, Mr Cole QC says.
”As you have been told, self-defence has to be both reasonable and necessary.
“We do not now stand before you and invite you to say that this may have been a case of self-defence.
“What happened went beyond self-defence”.
Mr Cole QC reminds the jury that this is still a matter for them, though makes it ‘crystal clear’ that he does not suggest it was self-defence.
The case has resumed
The jury is now back in court after the break.
This afternoon, Matthew Mason’s defence lawyer Mr Gordon Cole QC is set to deliver his closing speech.
14:31
"To suggest this was a case of self-defence flies in the case of common sense"
Mr Cole QC reminds the jury of two issues set out at the start of the trial - self-defence and loss of control.
He says that trials develop and witnesses give their evidence and issues become clarified.
“We agree with the prosecution that when you come to consider what took place, we agree that to suggest to you that this was a case of self-defence flies in the case of common sense and I’m not going to do that”, Mr Cole QC says.
”As you have been told, self-defence has to be both reasonable and necessary.
“We do not now stand before you and invite you to say that this may have been a case of self-defence.
“What happened went beyond self-defence”.
Mr Cole QC reminds the jury that this is still a matter for them, though makes it ‘crystal clear’ that he does not suggest it was self-defence.
whatawaster
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I'm off out now, will update later if no one takes over.
Legally Bland
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Thanks @whatawaster !
14:39ASHLIE BLAKEY
"He has completely ruined the lives of Alex Rodda’s family, he knows that"
Mr Cole QC says he does not ask the jury to reach a ‘comfortable verdict’.
“We don’t ask for a cop out, for an easy route through to your conclusion, what we ask you to do is to consider the evidence that has been presented before you in a way that you think is appropriate.
”You decide with the evidence, not on what I or Mr Unsworth has said.
”With respect, repetition of the prosecutor’s opening does not make it better and does not make it different.”
He points to Matthew Mason and says that he sits and faces the most serious criminal charge.
He tells the jury he doesn’t intend to tell them what to do, but asks them to listen to his points.
“His life has been ruined”, Mr Cole QC says of Matthew Mason.
“But he has got a life. He has completely ruined the lives of Alex Rodda’s family, he knows that.”
14:50ASHLIE BLAKEY
Mr Mason accepts 'almost all' the case brought against him
Jurors are reminded that the defendant did not have to give evidence if he didn’t want to.
“Once he chooses to go into the witness box he doesn’t need to prove anything”, Mr Cole QC says.
”It has been said that what he has sought to do is weave his account around the evidence, but we say that nothing could be further from the truth.
”There’s no point him going in there and trying to defend positions that he took, he’s got to tell you what the truth is and he’s got to tell you it all.”
Mr Cole QC reminds the jury that they saw him answer questions and he ‘answered every single one’.
Matthew Mason accepts ‘all of the case brought against him, almost all of it, all of the facts he accepts as being accurate’, jurors are told.
14:51ASHLIE BLAKEY
Defence counsel don’t ask for sympathy for Matthew Mason
“What we invite you to do is assess the evidence and to see whether this is murder or whether it might properly be manslaughter,” Mr Cole QC tells the jury.
He says this is a difficult choice and tells the jury that defence counsel don’t ask for sympathy for Matthew Mason.
He says material has been put before them to help them understand the defendant.
“It’s not about saying you should feel sorry for him, it’s about considering how he behaved set against his character and what you know about him”, Mr Cole QC says.
15:04ASHLIE BLAKEY
"You don’t demand money for a loving and caring relationship"
Mr Cole QC discusses the issue of sexuality with the jury.
“At the time of the killing he was 18 years of age”, he says.
“He sent a text in September asking how to say that he, or somebody, was gay, joking maybe.
“This young man was trying to find a way to tell people that he was gay.
“He still doesn’t accept that that is the case.”
He tells the jury to consider Matthew Mason’s state of mind and his mental state.
“Has he really made up that he had suicidal thoughts?”, Mr Cole QC says.
Alex Rodda had shown that he was capable of telling people about the defendant, the jurors are told. He told Matthew Mason’s girlfriend at the time.
Jurors are reminded that money wasn’t paid to Alex Rodda until after this point.
“You don’t pay for loving and caring sexual relationships and you don’t demand money for a loving and caring relationship”, Mr Cole QC says.
15:07ASHLIE BLAKEY
Mr Cole QC asks jury to consider 'partial defence of loss of control' in reducing murder to manslaughter
Mr Cole QC tells the jury that murder is the unlawful killing of another person with an intent to inflict really serious harm or to kill.
“Those elements were all in this man’s mind at the time of using the spanner, they must have been”, Mr Cole says.
“But, a partial defence of loss of control, considers as to whether that loss of control has the way of reducing murder to manslaughter.
“It’s a partial defence. We say that the sexual background forms a central part.
“He has not sought to stand here to say that killing is excusable.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
14:39ASHLIE BLAKEY
"He has completely ruined the lives of Alex Rodda’s family, he knows that"
Mr Cole QC says he does not ask the jury to reach a ‘comfortable verdict’.
“We don’t ask for a cop out, for an easy route through to your conclusion, what we ask you to do is to consider the evidence that has been presented before you in a way that you think is appropriate.
”You decide with the evidence, not on what I or Mr Unsworth has said.
”With respect, repetition of the prosecutor’s opening does not make it better and does not make it different.”
He points to Matthew Mason and says that he sits and faces the most serious criminal charge.
He tells the jury he doesn’t intend to tell them what to do, but asks them to listen to his points.
“His life has been ruined”, Mr Cole QC says of Matthew Mason.
“But he has got a life. He has completely ruined the lives of Alex Rodda’s family, he knows that.”
14:50ASHLIE BLAKEY
Mr Mason accepts 'almost all' the case brought against him
Jurors are reminded that the defendant did not have to give evidence if he didn’t want to.
“Once he chooses to go into the witness box he doesn’t need to prove anything”, Mr Cole QC says.
”It has been said that what he has sought to do is weave his account around the evidence, but we say that nothing could be further from the truth.
”There’s no point him going in there and trying to defend positions that he took, he’s got to tell you what the truth is and he’s got to tell you it all.”
Mr Cole QC reminds the jury that they saw him answer questions and he ‘answered every single one’.
Matthew Mason accepts ‘all of the case brought against him, almost all of it, all of the facts he accepts as being accurate’, jurors are told.
14:51ASHLIE BLAKEY
Defence counsel don’t ask for sympathy for Matthew Mason
“What we invite you to do is assess the evidence and to see whether this is murder or whether it might properly be manslaughter,” Mr Cole QC tells the jury.
He says this is a difficult choice and tells the jury that defence counsel don’t ask for sympathy for Matthew Mason.
He says material has been put before them to help them understand the defendant.
“It’s not about saying you should feel sorry for him, it’s about considering how he behaved set against his character and what you know about him”, Mr Cole QC says.
15:04ASHLIE BLAKEY
"You don’t demand money for a loving and caring relationship"
Mr Cole QC discusses the issue of sexuality with the jury.
“At the time of the killing he was 18 years of age”, he says.
“He sent a text in September asking how to say that he, or somebody, was gay, joking maybe.
“This young man was trying to find a way to tell people that he was gay.
“He still doesn’t accept that that is the case.”
He tells the jury to consider Matthew Mason’s state of mind and his mental state.
“Has he really made up that he had suicidal thoughts?”, Mr Cole QC says.
Alex Rodda had shown that he was capable of telling people about the defendant, the jurors are told. He told Matthew Mason’s girlfriend at the time.
Jurors are reminded that money wasn’t paid to Alex Rodda until after this point.
“You don’t pay for loving and caring sexual relationships and you don’t demand money for a loving and caring relationship”, Mr Cole QC says.
15:07ASHLIE BLAKEY
Mr Cole QC asks jury to consider 'partial defence of loss of control' in reducing murder to manslaughter
Mr Cole QC tells the jury that murder is the unlawful killing of another person with an intent to inflict really serious harm or to kill.
“Those elements were all in this man’s mind at the time of using the spanner, they must have been”, Mr Cole says.
“But, a partial defence of loss of control, considers as to whether that loss of control has the way of reducing murder to manslaughter.
“It’s a partial defence. We say that the sexual background forms a central part.
“He has not sought to stand here to say that killing is excusable.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Legally Bland
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15:23ASHLIE BLAKEY
The jury is now asked to consider ‘planning to kill’
The jury is now asked to consider ‘planning to kill’.
Mr Cole QC says that people knew that Matthew Mason was meeting Alex on the day of the killing. He says that he knew there was a tracker in his car.
“If you’re going to plan this and do it in a carefully thought out way, yes he got rid of Alex’s phone, but he didn’t get rid of the weapon, his own phone, the blood-stained clothes.
“Is it really fair to say that it was a planned event?”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
The jury is now asked to consider ‘planning to kill’
The jury is now asked to consider ‘planning to kill’.
Mr Cole QC says that people knew that Matthew Mason was meeting Alex on the day of the killing. He says that he knew there was a tracker in his car.
“If you’re going to plan this and do it in a carefully thought out way, yes he got rid of Alex’s phone, but he didn’t get rid of the weapon, his own phone, the blood-stained clothes.
“Is it really fair to say that it was a planned event?”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Legally Bland
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15:24ASHLIE BLAKEY
"You’ve got the use of the word blackmail, you’ve got the comments made about ‘money money money’.”
Mr Cole QC tells the jury that he agrees a ‘true verdict should be reached according to the evidence’.
He asks the jury to decide why Alex would have decided to contact Mr Mason’s then girlfriend Caitlyn.
He reminds the jury of a message Matthew Mason sent to Alex Rodda.
It read: ‘I’m talking to her, please, don’t Alex please.’
Mr Cole QC says he was almost begging Alex not to talk to her. He reminds jurors of a text from Alex which said: ‘I want £500.’
“No one is saying that Alex Rodda is anything other than gentle and caring and well thought of, and he may have thought it was a game.
“But again, you’ve got the use of the word blackmail, you’ve got the comments made about ‘money money money’.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
"You’ve got the use of the word blackmail, you’ve got the comments made about ‘money money money’.”
Mr Cole QC tells the jury that he agrees a ‘true verdict should be reached according to the evidence’.
He asks the jury to decide why Alex would have decided to contact Mr Mason’s then girlfriend Caitlyn.
He reminds the jury of a message Matthew Mason sent to Alex Rodda.
It read: ‘I’m talking to her, please, don’t Alex please.’
Mr Cole QC says he was almost begging Alex not to talk to her. He reminds jurors of a text from Alex which said: ‘I want £500.’
“No one is saying that Alex Rodda is anything other than gentle and caring and well thought of, and he may have thought it was a game.
“But again, you’ve got the use of the word blackmail, you’ve got the comments made about ‘money money money’.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Legally Bland
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16:06
Mr Cole QC urges the jury to assess ‘all the little bits of evidence’
Mr Cole QC is continuing to deliver his closing speech.
He tells the jury they can ‘draw reasonable inferences from the evidence’ and asks them to consider blackmail.
He refers to a comment from Matthew Mason who said in his evidence that Alex Rodda had said he would ‘ruin him financially’.
When talking about going to the secret forest, Alex said ‘well, I need the money’, the jury is told.
Mr Cole QC urges the jury to assess ‘all the little bits of evidence’ and see where that takes them.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Mr Cole QC urges the jury to assess ‘all the little bits of evidence’
Mr Cole QC is continuing to deliver his closing speech.
He tells the jury they can ‘draw reasonable inferences from the evidence’ and asks them to consider blackmail.
He refers to a comment from Matthew Mason who said in his evidence that Alex Rodda had said he would ‘ruin him financially’.
When talking about going to the secret forest, Alex said ‘well, I need the money’, the jury is told.
Mr Cole QC urges the jury to assess ‘all the little bits of evidence’ and see where that takes them.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Legally Bland
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16:07
'Slow build up of events that leads to the events on December 12'
“What is the picture?”, Mr Cole QC asks the jury.
You’ve got the sexuality, you’ve got the money, you’ve got the suggestion of blackmail, you’ve got debt, you’ve got fear.
“It’s that slow build up of events that leads to the events on December 12.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
'Slow build up of events that leads to the events on December 12'
“What is the picture?”, Mr Cole QC asks the jury.
You’ve got the sexuality, you’ve got the money, you’ve got the suggestion of blackmail, you’ve got debt, you’ve got fear.
“It’s that slow build up of events that leads to the events on December 12.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Legally Bland
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16:09
Mr Mason’s ‘no comment’ interviews addressed in court
Matthew Mason’s ‘no comment’ interviews are now being addressed in court.
Mr Cole QC asks if it’s ‘really fair’ to criticise him for that.
“This isn’t some hardened criminal who comes to court day in day out”, Mr Cole says. He adds that Matthew Mason has been accused of telling lies on December 12, which is true, but ‘this young man had just killed somebody’.
“You have the Matthew Mason here that went into the witness box and answered questions and accepted that he told lies.”
Mr Cole says the taking of the spanner to the woods has to be put against the backdrop of where he was in his mind at the time.
“He went with Alex, Alex clearly thinking he was going to get money, then this defendant saying that he did not have any money.
“The details of the background don’t go away and they remain constant.
“No one has suggested that Matthew Mason’s injuries are serious. Though we ask for consideration that there may have been some kind of fight or struggle.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Mr Mason’s ‘no comment’ interviews addressed in court
Matthew Mason’s ‘no comment’ interviews are now being addressed in court.
Mr Cole QC asks if it’s ‘really fair’ to criticise him for that.
“This isn’t some hardened criminal who comes to court day in day out”, Mr Cole says. He adds that Matthew Mason has been accused of telling lies on December 12, which is true, but ‘this young man had just killed somebody’.
“You have the Matthew Mason here that went into the witness box and answered questions and accepted that he told lies.”
Mr Cole says the taking of the spanner to the woods has to be put against the backdrop of where he was in his mind at the time.
“He went with Alex, Alex clearly thinking he was going to get money, then this defendant saying that he did not have any money.
“The details of the background don’t go away and they remain constant.
“No one has suggested that Matthew Mason’s injuries are serious. Though we ask for consideration that there may have been some kind of fight or struggle.”
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Legally Bland
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16:10
“No one can begin to excuse the events afterwards”
“No one can begin to excuse the events afterwards”, Mr Cole QC says.
“But those are all events that occurred after what took place and were in panic, in realisation of what had happened.
“This speech is not a complete rehash of the evidence, it’s trying to draw together some strands that we submit are important.
“It’s what you take of those strands, is solely a task for you.
“We end and ask for no more than an objective assessment of the evidence.
“This is not victim blaming, no one is blaming Alex Rodda for what took place.
“We invite you to reach the conclusions we invited you to earlier on.”
16:11
Mr Cole QC has now finished delivering his closing speech
Mr Cole QC has now finished delivering his closing speech.
The judge will continue to read his final directions to the jury shortly.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
“No one can begin to excuse the events afterwards”
“No one can begin to excuse the events afterwards”, Mr Cole QC says.
“But those are all events that occurred after what took place and were in panic, in realisation of what had happened.
“This speech is not a complete rehash of the evidence, it’s trying to draw together some strands that we submit are important.
“It’s what you take of those strands, is solely a task for you.
“We end and ask for no more than an objective assessment of the evidence.
“This is not victim blaming, no one is blaming Alex Rodda for what took place.
“We invite you to reach the conclusions we invited you to earlier on.”
16:11
Mr Cole QC has now finished delivering his closing speech
Mr Cole QC has now finished delivering his closing speech.
The judge will continue to read his final directions to the jury shortly.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Parker Knoll
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Thank you !
Legally Bland
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16:21
Judge going through document on the law with the jury
Judge Everett is now going through a document on the law with the jury.
He went through some directions of law with jurors before the Christmas period. The judge goes over the defendant’s ‘no comments’ interviews again tomorrow. “How do you approach this failure to respond to police questions?”, the judge asks. He tells the jury that is it his right to remain silent as police told him this.
Though Matthew Mason was told it ‘may harm his defence’, and the jury can ‘use this as support in the case against him’.
16:29
Judge now discussing previous good character of the defendant
The judge is now discussing the previous good character of the defendant.
The judge says ‘his good character is a positive feature which should be taken into consideration’.
“You may take into account everything that you’ve heard about him”, Judge Everett says. The juror is now reminded that Matthew Mason admitted telling a number of lies. The judge tells the jury they must decide why Matthew Mason lied, but a defendant who has lied is not necessarily guilty.
Jurors should not convict him ‘wholly or mainly’ on the basis that he lied about a particular matter, Judge Everett says.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Judge going through document on the law with the jury
Judge Everett is now going through a document on the law with the jury.
He went through some directions of law with jurors before the Christmas period. The judge goes over the defendant’s ‘no comments’ interviews again tomorrow. “How do you approach this failure to respond to police questions?”, the judge asks. He tells the jury that is it his right to remain silent as police told him this.
Though Matthew Mason was told it ‘may harm his defence’, and the jury can ‘use this as support in the case against him’.
16:29
Judge now discussing previous good character of the defendant
The judge is now discussing the previous good character of the defendant.
The judge says ‘his good character is a positive feature which should be taken into consideration’.
“You may take into account everything that you’ve heard about him”, Judge Everett says. The juror is now reminded that Matthew Mason admitted telling a number of lies. The judge tells the jury they must decide why Matthew Mason lied, but a defendant who has lied is not necessarily guilty.
Jurors should not convict him ‘wholly or mainly’ on the basis that he lied about a particular matter, Judge Everett says.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Legally Bland
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16:52
Judge tells the jury not to ‘consider themselves as experts’ but to try the case on the evidence using common sense
The judge tells the jury not to ‘consider themselves as experts’ but to try the case on the evidence using common sense.
He encourages the jury to ‘firmly have in mind’ their ‘routes to verdict’ document.
Jurors have to concentrate on the partial defence of loss of control.
16:53
Jury are now being sent home
The judge will go over the evidence tomorrow.
The jury are now being sent home.
Our live coverage of the trial will continue tomorrow.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Judge tells the jury not to ‘consider themselves as experts’ but to try the case on the evidence using common sense
The judge tells the jury not to ‘consider themselves as experts’ but to try the case on the evidence using common sense.
He encourages the jury to ‘firmly have in mind’ their ‘routes to verdict’ document.
Jurors have to concentrate on the partial defence of loss of control.
16:53
Jury are now being sent home
The judge will go over the evidence tomorrow.
The jury are now being sent home.
Our live coverage of the trial will continue tomorrow.
Alex Rodda murder trial: Live updates as jury returns to court
Marg from Oz
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Thanks to Whatawaster and Legally Bland for keeping us all informed.