A man has tried to cut his own throat after police tracked him down and cornered him, a court has been told. Lee Peacock allegedly turned the knife on himself when police tracked him down, the Old Bailey heard. The 50-year-old is on trial accused of murdering his partner, Sharon Pickles, 46, and associate, Clinton Ashmore, 59, over two days in August 2021, which he denies. Prosecutors branded the killings “cold-blooded” and “determined”.
The court heard that Peacock’s father alerted the police after his son came to his home and confessed to killing three people by cutting their throats.
Jurors heard he had turned up at the property with a kitten in his rucksack.
Police went to Ms Pickles’ home in Marylebone, London and found her body wrapped up and hidden under a bed.
Edward Brown, prosecuting told the court that a note signed by Peacock was found, implicating him in the killing.
In it, Peacock allegedly wrote that Ms Pickles was “meant to live” and he had sworn “revenge” against those who took advantage while he was in jail.
Later that evening Peacock was captured on CCTV walking with Mr Ashmore towards his flat but leaving alone 15 minutes later.
Two hours later, Mr. Ashmore was discovered dead by friends, having suffered multiple cutting injuries to his neck.
Peacock allegedly sent text messages to family members telling them he was in “serious trouble”.
He allegedly wrote: “After this conversation with me you will never hear from me again. I will never be released from prison. My hand has been forced after what I did last night.”
Five days later the police tracked him down to a houseboat moored on the Grand Union Canal in central London.
When officers arrived, Peacock tried to cut his own neck before being restrained, the jury was told.
More notes allegedly confessing to the murders and explaining the reasons for them were found in his pocket.
Mr Brown told the court that after being treated for his injuries, Peacock gave a “chilling” account of what happened.
He said he had argued with Ms Pickles about a man named Scuilla whom he suspected she had been seeing while he was in prison and had supplied her with drugs.
He lashed out with the knife after Ms Pickles laughed at his plan to kill Scuilla, according to the account.
Mr Brown said: “The evidence shows without doubt, say the prosecution, that it was this defendant who was responsible for killing Sharon Pickles, his partner, and for the killing of Clinton Ashmore, an associate.
“And that these were conscious and determined decisions – conscious and determined acts. The defendant was ruthless.
“The killings, linked as they are plainly, were no accident.
“Given his determination and the use of a knife to the neck of each victim, the defendant can have intended nothing less than to kill.”
The trial continues.
