Christopher Rode, raped a grieving mum twice in a cemetery as she laid flowers on six-year-old son’s grave

Fiend  Rode muttered “I will kill you” as he forced his 56-year-old victim to the ground and covered her mouth to stop her from screaming, then knocked out with a grave momento

 Rode 30, raped woman on the anniversary of son’s tragic death,at son’s graveside

The pervert is jailed for life

Crime scene the crematorium at slough

A brutal sex attacker was jailed for life today after he twice raped a grieving mother as she placed flowers on the grave of her six-year-old son. Cold-hearted sex fiend Christopher Rode, raped mum twice in cemetery as she laid flowers on six-year-old son’s grave on the anniversary of her son’s death.
The rapist  muttered “I will kill you” as he forced his victim to the ground and covered her mouth to stop her from screaming. The grieving mother was visiting the grave in the garden of remembrance at a crematorium when the rapist struck, knocking her unconscious with a small brass and ceramic statue he snatched from a gravestone.
The court heard how Rode carried out the double rape as the mother, who he did not know, was visiting her son’s grave. He knocked his victim out cold after striking her at least four times in the head with the grave memento he had stolen before ripping off her clothes and raping her. Judge John Reddihough heard that Rode’s victim had finished tidying her six-year-old child’s grave and was about to walk back to her car when she heard a rustle coming from a bush.
The also heard how the victim begged for mercy as she told Rode it was the anniversary of her son’s tragic death.The incident took place at a crematorium in Slough.
The callous Rode showed little mercy ashe left the helpless woman cowering on the ground surrounded by a pool of blood. The 56-year-old woman, turned around to see Rode charging towards her but was unable to react before he knocked her unconscious.
Prosecuting, Michael Roques told Reading Crown Court: “She heard a rustling sound coming from a nearby hedge and turned to look.

The courthouse
“The individual struck her four times to the face using some sort of weapon.
“She described regaining consciousness lying on her front, pinned between the car itself and the kerb and bleeding from her face onto the roadway.
“She attempted to scream for help but a gloved hand was covering her mouth.”
Reading Crown Court and Magistates Court
Rode was sentenced at Reading Crown Court and Magistates Court
The judge heard however that the victim was unable to fend off 30-year-old Rode.
The prosecutor continued: “She described struggling over the course of the attack and telling her attacker that it was the anniversary of her son’s death and she was tidying her son’s grave.
“This resulted in the defendant leaning very close to her ear and saying ‘I will kill you’. She described his voice as very, very angry.
“After some minutes she managed to get herself into her car.
“In the footwell of the driver door was a ceramic and brass bear statue. This it seems was the weapon with which she had been struck, it having been removed from part of a grave decoration within the cemetery.”
The court heard that Rode went to his victim’s unlocked car and took some wet wipes, leaving the statue of the bear in the passenger footwell.
The victim managed to flag down a passing car following the horrifying ordeal, on May 9 this year, who took her to a nearby hospital.
Judge Reddihough also heard that Rode, from Slough, Berks., was a notorious woman beater who had numerous convictions having beaten some of his former partners, including one who was pregnant.
Detectives searched the cemetery after the attack and found Rode. He was arrested on the scene and taken to a nearby station to be quizzed. The 30-year-old admitted one count of assault causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of rape at an earlier hearing.
Judge Reddihough jailed him for life and told the defendant he would have to serve at least 14 years and eight months before he could be considered for parole.
Rode was today sentenced to life in prison after he admitted assault causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of rape.