Brothers who beat sex offender, 85, to death jailed for murder

Luke Roe (left) and Matthew Roe were jailed for life on Monday

Two brothers have been jailed for life for murdering a convicted sex offender.

Luke and Matthew Roe beat Henry Thwaites, 85, to death before dumping his body by a roadside in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, last July.

Nottingham Crown Court heard in the days before the attack, the defendants had been told Mr Thwaites had sexually abused someone they knew.

Luke and Matthew were given minimum terms of 25 years and 24 years respectively.

The brothers were convicted of murdering Mr Thwaites at an earlier hearing.

On Monday, the court heard Luke, 34, and Matthew, 25, lured Mr Thwaites to his death and later boasted of the attack.

Mr Thwaites, from Kent, was a friend of the defendants' mother and had driven up to see her in July 2022.

'Drive himself to his own death'

The court heard Mr Thwaites had served two prison terms for sexual offences against boys under 16 and, while he was staying at their mother's home, the brothers had been informed he had abused someone they knew.

Mr Thwaites, who the court heard had recently inherited £34,000 and bought the defendant's mother a car, offered to help her buy a new house and said he would buy the brothers a new car.

The court heard that at 22:30 BST on 23 July, the Roe brothers told Mr Thwaites that there was a car they wanted to go to see and persuaded him to take a journey with them.

Sentencing, Judge Nirmal Shant KC said: "You tricked him into a journey to a remote location. You got him, in effect, to drive himself to his own death. The deceased did not know the area and, once you got him to an isolated place, you attacked him."

The court heard the brothers and Mr Thwaites drove to Lime Tree Avenue, where they assaulted him causing him 26 skull fractures.

His injuries showed he was attacked with a "saw-toothed" weapon, which has never been found.

Mr Thwaites's body was dumped in Lime Tree Avenue

The judge added: "The incident was over relatively quickly, but it was a particularly vicious and violent attack by two young men.

"The deceased was aged 85 and he was particularly vulnerable."

The judge said the brothers then stole Mr Thwaites's Fiat Punto and bank card and drove to nearby cash machines attempting to withdraw money.

"You spent the time after his death drinking and boasting about what you had done to him," she said.

"After the killing you drove away, leaving [Mr Thwaites] either dying or dead on the ground."

Matthew, of Franklin Road, Jacksdale, was also convicted of four counts of fraud, related to using Mr Thwaites bank card, and given a one-month concurrent prison term on each charge.

Luke, of Potter Street, Worksop, was found guilty of one count of fraud, relating to the bank card, and another of criminal damage to a car.

He received concurrent one-month jail terms for both offences.

'No remorse whatsoever'

After the murder, the brothers travelled to Abby Dixon's address in Watson Road, where she helped them dispose of clothes in a garden incinerator.

The jury found the 27-year-old, who was in a relationship with Luke, guilty of two counts of assisting an offender.

She will be sentenced later this month.

After the hearing, Det Insp Kaz Smithson, who led the police investigation, said: "This was a brutal and cowardly assault on a frail and vulnerable 85-year-old man.

"The murder was premeditated and callous, with Matthew and Luke Roe subjecting Mr Thwaites to a horrific death for their own selfish gain.

"Despite overwhelming evidence, neither brother had the courage to accept responsibility for their sadistic and vile actions, forcing a jury to sit though nine weeks of distressing evidence.

"Matthew claimed he was too drunk to remember the night in question and I am pleased jurors saw through his lies. Luke wasn't even brave enough to go in the witness box.

"They have shown no remorse whatsoever and our communities are undoubtedly safer with them behind bars."