Man who killed PC Jon Odell in 2000 admits killing another man and attempted murder

Wayne Rule was responsible for PC Odell's death and has now admitted killing another man

The man responsible for the death of Thanet PC Jon Odell in 2000 has pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder in a drugs row

PC Odell was in Shottendane Road at a static traffic point when a speeding driver hit and killed him on December 19, 2000.

The 30-year-old, who had lived in Margate with his partner and her son, had pointed a radar gun at a Vauxhall Astra when the driver hit him.

He suffered head injuries and broken legs and arms and died in hospital four hours later from internal bleeding.

PC Jon Odell (photo Kent Police Federation) and the memorial stone (Photo Little Stour Orchard)

Wayne Rule pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to nine years in prison. He was released in May 2006 and moved to Spalding.

Yesterday Rule, 46, admitted fatally stabbing Darren Kirk, 52,and attempting to kill another man following the row about drugs.

The violence began in the early hours of Monday 20 December 2021 and spread over two addresses.

Officers were alerted to a report that the man in his 40s had suffered stab wounds at a property in Bowditch Road, Spalding at 12.26am. On arrival, they found the victim with multiple injuries in a bedroom and administered first aid before he was taken to hospital.

He named Rule as his attacker.

Then, less than an hour later at 1.10am a second call came that a stabbing had taken place at Cygnet Court in Spalding. Officers immediately dispatched, and found Darren injured in the kitchen.

He was pronounced dead at 1.56am despite the best efforts of all those on scene.

Image Lincolnshire Police

Wayne Rule, also of  Cygnet Court, was quickly identified as the suspect in that incident. Following several hours of negotiation by specialist officers at his address he was arrested by 7am that morning.

Yesterday (January 4) he pleaded guilty for the murder of Darren Kirk and the attempted murder of the man in his 40s.

The case was heard before High Court judge, His Honour Judge Hirst, sitting at Lincoln Crown Court.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy McWatt led the investigation. He said: “In December 2021 we were faced with a death and the attempted murder of two men which would have been wholly avoidable without the use of knives by Rule. He went to the addresses of both of these people and carried out his attacks.

“This has been a long investigation and something which has been further drawn out for the victims’ families due to Rule’s refusal to accept responsibility. We are very pleased that today he has now admitted the charges of murder and attempted murder and will be sentenced by the courts later this month.”

He will be sentenced on 16 January.

12 Comments

  1. if they had hung him for the first offence , or at the very least thrown the key away , this clearly would not have happened. theres far too many do – gooders in all walks of life
    nowadays

  2. I’m surprised at my own reaction, most unusual because I’m usually what known as a ‘bleeding hearts liberal’, but I do think that this man should get a whole life sentence, no time off, and no parole. Our whole Society is safer without him in it.

  3. I look forward to seeing his sentence this time, they always give a lighter sentence for traffic deaths this time its going to be a lot longer sentence, he has shown he is still capable of murder which he should of got sentenced for when he deliberately ran down PC Jon Odell in December 2000,

  4. A good point about lighter sentences for traffic deaths. Courts (and most of us?) assume that vehicles are dangerous but unpredictable, yet are everyday objects, not like knives or guns. So someone can be deemed reckless or foolish when killing someone whilst driving, rather than cold-blooded. Hence, I suppose, the manslaughter verdict after the death of PC Odell.
    So highly unlikely that this man Rule would have been hung or served a really long sentence. So he would have been out and about eventually anyway.
    It’s always true that, if somebody commits a crime, if they are sent to prison for life ,they won’t get out to commit more crime.
    But who do you lock up for life?
    Someone who keeps burgling houses? Someone who won’t stop shop theft?
    A prolific driving offender?
    None of these offences usually get “Life”. They get a sentence in keeping with the law.
    They don’t get released because of so-called “do-gooders”. They get released because their sentence ended.
    During the Labour years under Blair, they introduced a kind of “Three strikes and you’re out” law.
    If somebody committed three or more violent offences within a specific period of time, they were deemed a risk to Public Protection and went down for an unspecified period. Life, if necessary.
    They then had to work very hard in prison to prove they were no longer a danger.
    The Tory government abolished that law soon after being elected. And a few individuals still in prison under that category are being considered for release anyway.
    So let’s not assume that the Tories are all for long sentences and Labour are “do-gooders”. It’s much more complicated than that.

  5. All the police will be happy about this.Unsure if the court will be aware of his past before sentence , lets hope someone makes them aware.

    There is a max sentence on a life one and one still gets out before but not if the court say its the min.

  6. I now he think did run Pc Odell with intention to hurt him and then shut up .
    He no way outa this one only she sentence .

  7. So how did they monitor his rehabilitation during his previous term in prison and how did they come to the decision it’s ok to let him out🤷🏼‍♂️

  8. At a guess they wanted shot of him, word travels fast , bet he had a rough time , the screws would have known what he was in there for and yes things happen behind closed doors.
    Thought he got a new id and moved out of this area.

  9. No wonder we have no police on visible patrols, it aint safe for them to do that;
    Where is pcso litchfield ? i have missed seeing his social media photos as he cycles around the local failnet photogenic areas.
    Has he

    th

  10. On a sentence of a specific length, everybody comes out. Even prisoners who are a nightmare in prison, AND out of it, have to be released on a specific date. Sometimes , even a completely unreformed character might be released early enough to be supervised by Probation. That way, the system knows where they are. They can put all kinds of conditions on a Licence, such as not returning to a previous home town, not contact victims, not enter Licenced premises, not have contact with previous criminal associates etc.
    But ,if the prisoner is not released “early”, he will come out at his final release date with no supervision at all. Free as a bird to go where he wants and to meet who he wants. In the end, of course, any period of supervision on Licence or Parole will, itself, come to an end. And then, eventually, he is as free as a bird again.
    The only exception to this rule is a Life sentence. The Home Office /Home Secretary is involved in determining how long a “Lifer’s” imprisonment will last. If he is to be released at all, he will be supervised in the community for the rest of his life. With all those conditions about living where approved, not contacting victim’s families etc in place for life.
    A conviction for murder automatically leads to a Life sentence. The judge always has a list of previous convictions and will always expect a Probation Report into the offender and how serious the previous offences should be regarded.
    I expect Rule’s “previous” will weigh very heavily against him when it comes to how long he serves in prison. Who knows? Some severe offences lead to a “Whole Life” disposal ie. he just stays in prison until death.
    All this talk about “do-gooders” and how murderers get out in a few months , “too soft” etc. just tire me out.

  11. This is one dangerous career criminal with a red mist that comes down on him when aggravated. Nobody tells him what to do, in his thick skull. He should never be released to inflict damage on the public again, if the death penalty still existed then he lies a prime candidate.
    If I was in charge at the Lincolnshire court I would refer it to the Old Bailey in London as it is so serious.

Comments are closed.