THE chill of winter gripped the Reading area right from the start of January 1946 and this week Bygones peers through the mists of time to bring you the headlines. New Year had hardly finished when a dense blanket of freezing fog hit all parts of the town, along with all the surrounding villages of central Berkshire. The Reading Mercury described the chilly conditions as: “A biblical plague, the worst for years.” Bus services ground to a halt, with many drivers unable to see where they were going, many abandoning their routes then heading back to the depot in Mill Lane.
A TEENAGER who claimed he killed his 15-year-old lover after paying more than £2,000 to keep their relationship quiet has been found guilty of murder. Matthew Mason, 19, of Ash Lane, Ollerton denied deliberately killing Alex, saying instead he had lost control, despite admitting hitting him with a wrench 15 times in secluded woodland in Ashley on December 12, 2019. The jury didn t believe Mason s account and after more than nine hours of deliberation, the foreperson returned a majority 10-2 guilty verdict, as the killer sat quietly sobbing in the dock. Just before lunch on Thursday, January 7, the 12-person jury provided His Honour Judge Everett, The Honourary Recorder of Chester, with a note to say they couldn t all come to an agreement on a verdict after considering all the evidence.
Calculating teen guilty of murdering his schoolboy lover after sinister blackmail plot
Matthew Mason has been convicted of killing 15-year-old Alex Rodda after his body was found in the woods. Mason, 19, had denied murder but admitted his actions caused his death
Updated
Alex Rodda, 15, was murdered and left in woodland (Image: MEN Media)
The Daily Star s FREE newsletter is spectacular! Sign up today for the best stories straight to your inboxInvalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up today!
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. OurPrivacy Noticeexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.
The scene where Alex Rodda, 15, was found dead THE jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict on the killing of a Pickmere teenager today, January 6. Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School student Alex Rodda, 15, was beaten to death with a wrench in Ashley on December 12, 2019. Matthew Mason, of Ash Lane, Ollerton, denies murdering Alex but has admitted hitting him 15 times on the head with the wrench, which led to his death. The jury has been asked to consider whether the 19-year-old killed Alex in self defence or whether there was a loss of control. In a trial at Chester Crown Court beginning a month ago, the court has heard that the pair had been in an intimate relationship which Mason tried to hide from his peers.
Columnist competition: Young farmers share hopes for 2021 >More in
The search for new Farmlife columnists prompted a flood of fantastic entries, after we asked you to write an article titled “2021”.
We launched the search to find people aged 30 or under who could act as ambassadors for the next generation, providing candid accounts of what it’s like to be a student or in the early years of a career.
We’ll announce our two winners next week and, in the meantime, here are a selection of extracts from some of the other entries that particularly caught our eye.
Bridgette Baker, 20, Somerset