A "WARPED and angry" killer was today found guilty of cutting the throats of his girlfriend and an associate within weeks of being released from jail.

Lee Peacock, 50, was out to "punish" his partner Sharon Pickles, 46, and Clinton Ashmore, 59, during a two-day violent spree in August 2021, a court heard.

The self-confessed burglar and thief turned a 4cm-long knife on himself when police tracked him down to a houseboat after a five-day manhunt.

Peacock, who had only been freed from prison on June 4 of that year, admitted killing the pair but denied it was murder.

He claimed the death of his "other half" was a "pure accident" and that Mr Ashmore "went mental" and punched him in the head after Peacock confessed to killing Ms Pickles.

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

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Five members of the victims' families celebrated and cried as the verdicts were delivered.

During the trial, prosecutor Edward Brown KC described Peacock as having a "warped and angry mind" and his actions as "cold-blooded".

The court heard how police found Ms Pickles' body wrapped in a duvet and hidden under the bed at her home in Marylebone in the West End of London on August 19.

Peacock's father had alerted officers that his son had visited him and confessed to killing three people by slitting their throats.

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In a note at the scene, Peacock allegedly wrote that Ms Pickles was "meant to live" and he had sworn "revenge" against those who took advantage while he was in jail.

Jurors viewed CCTV images of the last sighting of Ms Pickles outside her flat and footage of Peacock coming and going on a bicycle.

Later on August 19, the defendant was captured walking with Mr Ashmore towards his Westminster flat, about half a mile away, then leaving alone 15 minutes later.

Cops discovered his body the following day.

Both victims died from similar knife wounds to the neck.

Peacock, of West London, tried to slash his own throat when he was tracked down to the Grand Union Canal on August 25.

After being treated in hospital, he gave a "chilling" account of events, saying he had used the same knife in both killings and the attempt on his own life.

He said he had argued with Ms Pickles about her seeing someone while he was behind bars.

Peacock claimed he lashed out with the blade after Ms Pickles laughed at his plan to kill whoever she had been with.

He also wanted to kill others who were exploiting her, he said.

'WARPED AND ANGRY MIND'

Giving evidence, Peacock insisted he was "not a monster" and he never intended to harm either of his victims.

But Mr Brown told him: "You committed two terrible murders with your warped and angry mind, that's the reality and you confessed to two terrible murders, didn't you?

"You were determined to punish Sharon Pickles and you were determined to punish Clinton Ashmore.

"You intended nothing less that to kill each of them, didn't you?"

He will be sentenced tomorrow.

Ms Pickles' dad said losing his daughter two years after the death of his wife had left him "numb".

"I have found it impossible to celebrate birthdays or even Christmas because my daughter wasn't at rest and had no peace," he said in a victim impact statement.

"It doesn't feel real that Sharon is gone, I miss her more than words can describe."

Her brother Robert added: "The last 17 months have taken a toll mentally and psychically.

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"The hardest part was listening to someone trying to excuse and justify their actions."

Mr Ashmore's sister Claire said: "No words can share the pain caused, our world is shattered and changed forever."

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