The 'selfish' young man who groomed and murdered schoolboy Alex Rodda has been jailed for life by a judge - and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years.
Matthew Mason - dubbed 'cold and calculating' by his victim's parents - learned his fate at Chester Crown Court today (Monday).
Earlier this month, jurors at Chester Crown Court found Mason, now 20, guilty after over nine hours of deliberations.
The trial heard Mason, of Ash Farm in Ollerton, Knutsford, had been having underage sex with the 15-year-old in the months leading up to his death, and then killed him to prevent being exposed.
Mason had paid Alex, who lived in Pickmere, near Knutsford, more than £2,000 over a three week period in an attempt to stop his secret coming out.
Then, on December 12, 2019, Mason, then 18, picked up Alex from outside his house and drove him to a secluded woodland area outside Ashley, near Altrincham, prosecutor Ian Unsworth QC previously told jurors.
He then beat the popular schoolboy to death with a large metal wrench in what was described to the court as a 'violent, repetitive assault with a blunt weapon'.
Following the attack, Mason stayed with Alex’s body for around an hour before leaving the wooded area and meeting up with friends for a pint - to form a basis of his alibi.
Judge Steven Everett, the Honorary Recorder of Chester, handed Mason a life sentence, with a minimum term of 28 years at Monday's sentencing hearing.
Alex's dad Adam Snr and mum Lisa earlier spoke in court.
Their statements were devastating.
His father said: "I have struggled not to take my own life to be with Alex."
Alex's mother said: "I don't look to the future as I can't envisage a future without Alex."
Judge Everett told killer Mason: "I sentence you for the murder of a 15 year old boy, something I think you will never ever understand.
"What is clear to me is that Alex was a much loved son grandson, brother and also a friend to many young persons.
"Although I accept he may have initiated contact with you, I am sure you not only responded to it, but actively encouraged a sexual relationship by sending him messages and the image you sent him of your erect penis and a video of you masturbating.
"In that regard, you clearly encouraged your young victim to involve himself in what was clearly his first real sexual experience. In other words, you groomed him.
"He didn't realise the consequences of what he was doing, you clearly understood this.
"In reality not only were you much older, not just in years, but more emotionally mature than him.
"In the days leading up to his death you send him messages inviting him to have sex in some special or secret place.
"You deliberately took that heavy wrench and you chose that spot. It was a devastating weapon."
The judge said the attack was 'carefully planned and ruthlessly carried out'.
"You are a selfish individual and thought about nobody but yourself," he told Mason.
Speaking about Alex, the judge said: "This young boy lost his life and he will never have the opportunity to grow up and flourish that his family and friends will never recover from.
"I have had the advantage of hearing in this case, both leading up to Alex Rodda's death and in the aftermath.
"Even if you had not gone on to kill your victim, I am sure you will have received many years in prison in effect after being prosecuted for sexual offending.
"The young and naive victims like Alex was, victims from sexual offences by older offenders, they need to be protected, even though they may have consented to the sexual acts.
"You could have expected a sentence of custody for what you did which is fairly serious in itself.
"I am sure you felt this particularly after he informed your then girlfriend of your behaviour.
"Your behaviour was, in my judgement, a selfish pursuit to avoid attention and prevent this getting out and you were giving lie to the fact you were at breaking point.
"You were selfishly pursuing other sexual relationships also.
"In reality, it's all about you. You were only thinking about yourself and you cared not a jot for anybody else.
"Whilst it is clear Alex Rodda was naive, as he demanded money from you as a way for him to keep quiet about your sexual offending, you chose to behave in that way.
"He was a 15-year-old boy who was still young and immature for his age and had no real concept of the consequences.
"As a father to two children I have seen it myself.
"I am quite sure you were more worldly wise than him. It is my judgement that you made the clear decision to kill Alex Rodda from early December.
"You carried out internet research, it must have been obvious it was about him and not you. You were hoping to kill him to make it look like he had disappeared - so that he was one of the people missing in Cheshire."
Speaking about attack, the judge said: "I am sure he was completely stunned by this and had little or no consciousness from the first blow.
"He was kneeling in front of you. He must have been unconscious when you completed your murderous attack by repeatedly striking him to death on the back, top and right side of his head.
"You took him completely by surprise and you had already formed an unbreakable intention to kill him.
"You went about it in a completely ruthless way and the manner and force for the way you carried it out utterly beggars belief for any person.
"He was a gentle and non-violent young man, who never considered inflicting any violence.
"You lied to the jury about that, Matthew Mason, just as you lied about many other things.
"It was always your intention to leave his body in that wood in the hope he would not be discovered.
"You tried to drag his body to the car, but it wasn't an easy task so you decided to leave.
"You drove off, leaving him by the side of the road.
"It was carefully planned and ruthlessly carried out, showing no empathy and showing a callous regard for Alex, his family and his friends. You are a selfish individual and thought about nobody but yourself.
"There were significant factors, namely planning and premeditation both before and after your murderous attack. You left him to die. You attempted to dispose of his body."
Mason was told: "There is only one sentence I can pass, that of life imprisonment. I must decide on the minimum term.
"I sentence you to custody for life with a minimum term of 28 years.
"The parole board will decide on your release."
Addressing Alex's family, Judge Everett said: "Nothing I can say will ever compensate you. It will give you limited closure.
"You have my sincerest condolences."
The judge commended the efforts of Steven Wilson, who he said treated Alex with 'respect and dignity' when he found him dead.
He also commended the 'thorough' investigation of the police - and the Cheshire community.
Murderer Mason kept his head down as he was led from the dock.
In a statement outside court after the hearing, Adam Snr, on behalf of his family, said: "We do feel justice has been served - we don't think any sentence would be too little and we understand the guidelines set by the legal justice system.
"We are just happy with any sentence given.
"It's been pretty horrendous having to listen to the graphic details of the injuries Alex sustained.
"I would like to say about the fact we have sat on that trial for three weeks, I feel like it has diminished the pain he went through. Listening day after day, it may seem like the trauma doesn't seem as bad as it would have been for him.
"He admitted killing Alex, and we could have been saved from that trauma. We can now get back to trying to remember Alex and create a legacy far removed from the outcome of what has been said in court in the last three weeks.
"He hasn't shown any remorse and thought only of himself. We don't have any sympathy for Mason.
Speaking about memories of his son, Adam Snr said: "It's all we have now.
"We get to create another legacy, his legacy has never been tarnished. Now we just remember Alex as best as we can and create a true legacy for him. We will not forget him and we will keep his legacy going as long as we possibly can.
"He was an amazing boy."
As Mr Rodda broke down, Lisa said: "He was loving, so gentle, so kind, even if you didn't want to smile he had one of those smiles that was contagious. He was brought up only in love."
