Rhodes, who slit his wife Dawn's throat at their Surrey home in 2016, will now serve a minimum of 33-and-a-half years behind bars, an increase of four years from his original sentence. The prolonged cover-up and manipulation of the couple's child were key factors in this decision.
The initial acquittal of murder in 2017 was overturned after new evidence presented by the child led to Rhodes' conviction for murder in December 2025. This was followed by a minimum jail term of 29-and-a-half years, which was subsequently referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General.
Prosecutors argued that the starting point for the murder sentence should have been higher due to the gravity of Rhodes' actions and the prolonged cover-up. The Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme allowed for Crown Court sentences to be reviewed if there was a belief that the punishment handed down was insufficient.
The Court of Appeal's ruling condemned Rhodes' 'callous, selfish manipulation' of his child as a 'particularly abhorrent aspect' of the case. The court acknowledged that several aggravating factors, including the manipulation and cover-up, warranted a long minimum term, but concluded that these circumstances should have resulted in an initially harsher sentence.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the enduring impact of crime on families, particularly children. The new evidence from Rhodes' child was crucial in securing his conviction and ultimately in the subsequent increase of his sentence.