Hull trio sentenced for brutal murder

Three people have been sentenced for a sustained and exceptionally brutal attack resulting in a man’s death.

Lee Rhoades, 45, died from his injuries in hospital after he was assaulted and then tortured at a property in Bathurst Street in March 2023.

Lee Hailstone, 33, Keeran Edge, 27, and Amie Kehoe, 24, were convicted of his murder on 24 November and have been jailed for life with a combined minimum term of 77 years.

On the evening of 10 March 2023, the defendants were in high spirits enjoying at party at Hailstone’s flat where Lee was also present, drinking heavily and taking Class A drugs.

After a quarrel between Lee and the defendants, the mood soon turned deadly, and in the early hours of 11 March their relentless violent attack began.

Hailstone was part of an earlier assault, before Edge and Kehoe began their torture, including recording it and bragging about it in later messages. 

The attack started in Hailstone’s flat, and continued in the communal landing, before Edge and Kehoe dragged Lee to his flat, where the last of their vicious assault took place. 

In a further act of cruelty, the defendants left Lee in his bed without medical assistance until the early hours of March 12. 

When the emergency services were finally called, it was too late - Lee was pronounced dead at 03.20am on 12 March at Hull Royal Infirmary. 

A Home Office pathologist ruled his death was the result of head, facial, and rectal injuries causing him to suffer cardiac arrest.

Evidence showed he was punched, kicked, and stamped on, as well as weapons being used to inflict as much pain possible.

Edmund Hulbert, Specialist Prosecutor said: “Lee Rhoades suffered unthinkable cruelty at the hands of those he considered his friends.

“Lee Hailstone, Keeran Edge, and Aime Kehoe’s showed the depths of their depravity in the violence they showed Lee and by leaving him for dead. There was absolutely no justification for the sustained violence which was made much worse by the inhumane and degrading ways in which it was carried out. 

“Nothing can make up for the suffering Lee endured, but I hope this conviction and sentencing bring some comfort to those who knew him.”

Lee Hailstone and Amie Kehoe claimed they took no part in the deadly attack, blaming their co-defendants instead, whilst Keeran Edge accepted he has assaulted Lee, but maintained he did not intend to cause serious harm.

Using CCTV footage, DNA evidence, expert medical reports, and messages from the defendants, the prosecution was able to prove the guilty of all three and secure a successful conviction. 

A further defendant, Toni Hodgson was also sentenced today for perverting the course of justice between 10 March and 13 March after she cleaned up the blood prior to the arrival of emergency services.

Hodgson pleaded guilty to this offence on 3 October 2023 and has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.