Ex-girlfriend says teenager, 19, confessed to killing 15-year-old with wrench in woods 

The ex-girlfriend of a teenager accused of murder has told a court that he broke down in tears and confessed to the killing.

Matthew Mason, 19, allegedly murdered 15-year-old Alex Rodda in remote woodland in Ashley, Cheshire, on December 12 last year.

A trial at Chester Crown Court has heard Rodda, who was bludgeoned to death with a wrench, was blackmailing Mason over a sexual relationship.

Giving evidence on Monday, Mason’s former girlfriend Caitlyn Lancashire, 19, said when she visited him following his arrest he started to cry after telling her he had been giving money to Rodda.

Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting, asked her: ‘Did he say to you ‘I’ve killed him’?’

Miss Lancashire replied: ‘Yes.’

Mr Unsworth said: ‘Was he crying for quite a while after that?’

Miss Lancashire said: ‘Yes.’

She said Mason told her Rodda had got angry and hit him first.

Miss Lancashire told the court that Mason, who lived with his family on a farm near Knutsford, said he had given about £2,000 to Rodda after the latter threatened to reveal their alleged relationship.

The court heard that Mason and Miss Lancashire had been in a relationship for about two years but split up in November last year when Rodda messaged her saying Mason had been speaking to him and had sent him an explicit picture.

She said: ‘As soon as I got the messages through from Rodda I broke up with him.’

She told the court she stayed in touch with Mason, who denied anything had happened with Rodda.

On December 12, the night of Rodda’s death, Mason sent Lancashire a picture of himself smiling in bed, with no top on, at about 10.20pm, the court heard.

The following morning, he sent pictures of his feet in the floor of his car and when she asked if he was OK replied ‘I’m fine’, the court heard.

Miss Lancashire said later that day she was contacted by a friend of Rodda’s who asked her if she knew where Mason and Rodda were.

She said she spoke to Mason on the phone.

She told the court: ‘I was shouting ‘where are you, where’s Alex?’

He told her Rodda had been ‘mithering’ him for a lift so he had taken him to a pub in Holmes Chapel, the jury heard.

She said Mason seemed ‘like he already knew’ when she told him police were involved in trying to find Rodda.

Miss Lancashire confirmed Mason seemed upset but she believed that was because she was angry with him for seeing Rodda when he had promised her he would not.

The court heard that he told her he knew he should not have picked Rodda up and said: ‘I don’t know why I have done it, I’m confused to why I have done it.’

Miss Lancashire said her last contact with Mason was when he tried calling her a couple of weeks ago.

She said: ‘I answered and asked him to stop ringing me.’

Mason, of Ash Lane, Ollerton, denies murder. He admits to hitting Rodda with the wrench, arguing that he acted in self-defence and that he had lost control after being provoked.

Alex Rodda’s semi-naked body was found by refuse collectors on December 13 last year. 

His head and body had suffered at least 15 blows. 

The jury has been told it may have to consider whether he killed Rodda in self-defence or experienced a loss of control.

Last week, jurors were told that, after receiving a message from Cheshire Police to get in touch about the missing youngster, Mason returned to the woodland after midnight where he was said to have attempted to move the body but had abandoned the task.

Hours after the body was discovered, Mason was stopped by police on the A41 in Staffordshire and was arrested.

He appeared to have scratches and grazing to his lower back near to his waistband and also had scratches and cuts to the left side of his face. He appeared to also have dried blood on his hands and fingers, the court was told.

In the boot police found a blood-stained wrench and other items.

The trial continues.