The man is found guilty of murdering his girlfriend and her friend by cutting their throats

A man has been found guilty of murdering his girlfriend and her friend by slitting their throats in separate assaults within weeks of his release from prison.

The “distorted and angry” Lee Peacock, 50, has been found guilty of murdering Sharon Pickles, 46, and Clinton Ashmore, 59, in two days in separate Westminster attacks.

He killed Mrs Pickles before wrapping her body in a duvet and hiding under the bed on August 16, 2021.

Peacock then went to Mr. Ashmore’s house and also slit his throat. He claimed Mr Ashmore was part of a gang he accused of exploiting Ms Pickles in prison by selling her drugs.

The Old Bailey heard that Peacock was out to “punish” his partner and her friend during a two-day violent rampage.

The self-confessed burglar and thief turned the 4cm knife on himself as police tracked him down to a houseboat on the Grand Union Canal after a five-day manhunt.

Lee Peacock, pictured, was found guilty of the double murder of his girlfriend and a staff member at the Old Bailey

Lee Peacock was on trial hours apart for the murders of Sharon Pickles (left) and Clinton Ashmore (right) at separate addresses in central London last August

Peacock, who was only released from prison on June 4, 2021, admitted to killing the couple but denied it was murder.

He claimed the death of his “other half” was a “pure accident” and that Mr Ashmore “went mad” and hit him on the head after Peacock confessed to killing Ms Pickles.

A jury retired at the Old Bailey Tuesday and deliberated for two hours and 20 minutes to find Peacock guilty of double murder.

Five members of the victims’ families celebrated and wept as the verdicts were announced, while Peacock showed no emotion.

Ms Pickles’ father, David Pickles, said in a statement on the impact of the victim that the loss of his daughter was devastating just two years after his wife died in 2019.

He said: “It made me numb, I found it impossible to celebrate birthdays or even Christmas because my daughter wasn’t getting any rest and peace.

“It doesn’t feel real that Sharon is gone, I miss her more than words can describe.”

Her brother Robert Pickles said: “When details of Sharon’s death emerged I could not understand what had happened.

“The last 17 months have taken a toll mentally and psychologically. The hardest part was listening to someone trying to excuse and justify their actions.’

Mrs. Pickles also left a daughter.

Mr Ashmore’s sister, Claire Ashmore, said: “Clint has had a great life and met people from all over the world.

“We loved him very much. No words can share the pain caused, our world is shattered and changed forever.

“We had to tell our aged, frail mother that her son had been killed, the worst news you can tell a parent. We had to watch her bury her firstborn son.

“Souls like Clint are rare, the kindest soul ever, he was not only our brother but our friend, someone who shone brightly in this world and his life was cruelly extinguished by someone who didn’t care about his deeds.”

Peacock previously told the jury: “I know I’m not a monster. I never wanted to harm my partner. Clinton, I’m sorry, but he caused it.

“He attacked my wife and then told me he did it and with a rain of punches.”