Man, 49, charged with murdering woman, 45, and man, 59, found with their throats cut in Westminster

A man has been charged with murdering a woman and a man who were found with their throats cut at different homes in Westminster just hours apart.   

Lee Peacock, 49, from London, has been charged with the murders of Sharon Pickles, 45, and Clinton Ashmore, 59, after their bodies were found last Thursday evening.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday 30 August. 

The two bodies were found with their throats cut at separate flats in the Marylebone just hours apart.

Peacock, who was reportedly recovering from injuries in a London hospital after ‘slicing his own throat’, was arrested after a police probe and had been taken into custody.  

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: ‘This is a significant development in our investigation which I hope takes us a step closer to getting justice for the families of Sharon and Clinton.’ 

The suspect was reportedly attended to by emergency services on a canal barge in Ealing, west London, on Wednesday evening after suffering serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Peacock was found with serious ‘self-inflicted injuries’ earlier this week around 10 miles from the murder scenes. 

Convicted prostitute Sharon was found with her throat cut inside the ground-floor flat of a wheelchair-bound pensioner in Marylebone, central London, at around 9.30pm last Thursday night.

Less than five hours later, police discovered the body of Clinton Ashmore – known locally as ‘Cliff’ – at another flat five minutes walk away. His throat had also been cut.

A post mortem confirmed that both victims died as a result of an ‘incised wound’ to the neck. 

Their families were informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

It has also emerged that Ms Pickles was known to police, having clocked up more than 120 convictions for prostitution offences between 1996 and 2006.

Originally from Yorkshire, she was one of two prostitutes handed an Asbo in 2006, banning her from setting foot in nearby Sussex Gardens, Paddington.

Det Ch Insp Wayne Jolley said: ‘I am aware that as a result of appeals for information issued by the police, there is more information in the public domain about this case than there might ordinarily be.

‘A man has now been arrested and it is crucial that nothing is said or reported that could risk prejudicing any future court proceedings.

‘I would urge the public and the press to avoid speculating or sharing names or images in relation to this arrest or this investigation.’