Man accused of faking partner's suicide as Kingsbridge murder trial begins

The jury in the trial of Rowan Sutton, charged with the murder of Aimee Pike in April 2025, has heard that he "faked her suicide". 

Rowan Sutton, 31, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Aimee Pike in April 2025 near to their home in West Charleton. The trial continues.

Carl Eve, court reporter for Devon Live, has been in court and reported that the prosecution alleges that Sutton murdered Aimee near Loddiswell and then carried her body to New Bridge (Bowcombe Bridge) near Kingsbridge, where he faked her suicide. 

West Charleton Court, where the couple lived - Google Maps 

Prosecutor James Dawes KC told the jury that the couple had been in a relationship for around five years and had a son together, but the relationship was "characterised by controlling and coercive behaviour" by Sutton who was "capable of bouts of intense anger". 

Mr Dawes KC, told the court that when Aimee decided she wanted to end the relationship around four weeks before her death, conversations were ongoing around the custody of their child, and this is when Sutton decided that in order to get full custody, he had to "get rid of Aimee". 

Sutton is alleged to have murdered his partner, carried her to the road and then faked her suicide by making out that she had leapt in front of a van while he was filming. 

It is reported that Mr Dawes KC told the jury that Sutton began to spread the "false" rumour that Aimee was suicidal to her family and his colleagues. 

Mr Dawes said that on the evening of April 22, 2025, Aimee wanted to spend the night away from Sutton so he dropped her to his static caravan, which he kept in a field just south of Loddiswell.

He then went home and then, when the street lights had gone out in West Charleton, he left the flat and took a long journey back to the caravan to avoid a single CCTV camera and using back lanes to avoid cameras in Kingsbridge. He also left his phone at home and moved his dash-cam to a different car.  

During the evening, he sent himself a text message from a different number that claimed Aimee was cheating on him.

Mr Dawes KC said that the prosecution case was that Sutton murdered her at the caravan. He told the jury: "He ran her down with that Land River and did it in darkness in the countryside somewhere between Loddiswell and Kingsbridge" and that the exact location is unknown because he moved her body after he killed her.

He added that the jury would hear about Ms Pike's injuries and forensic evidence, and said fibres found on the bullbar of Sutton's Land Rover matched fibres of Aimee's dressing down, which she was wearing when she was found. 

New Bridge, locally known as Bowcombe Bridge, where Sutton is said to have faked his partner's suicide - Google Maps 

Reported by Carl Eve in Devon Live: "The jury were told that it was believed he left Ms Pike's body at a location before driving back to his flat, getting into his Skoda and returning to where he had left her body, part of which he had wrapped in a light green surgical blanket. He then placed her body in the Skoda and drove to Embankment Road near Bowcombe Bridge, Kingsbridge.

"The jury were told this road sloped down towards the bridge, and had no pavements, making it a dangerous place for pedestrians.

"The court heard that at around 4am, when he believed the coast was clear, he placed her over a low wall and waited. Around 10 minutes later a bakery delivery driver was travelling along the road in an electric-powered Ford Transit.

"Mr Dawes KC told the jury that Sutton got his phone camera out and filmed the van going past, but as he did he had "a fake conversation with Aimee, saying 'don't do it, don't do it, stay there, Aimee!'". He then shouted at the retreating van "you f***er".

"The jury were told Sutton then lifted the body of Ms Pike back over the wall and placed it on the road a bit further along the road. The jury were shown photographs of her blood found over the wall and of plasters which had her DNA on, believed to have come off as he unwrapped the blanket from her body.

"The jury were also told that further along the road, opposite the Kingsbridge cemetery, police officers found the surgical blanket bunched up and shoved into a hedge. It had traces of Ms Pike's blood and hairs which had been forcibly pulled out."

Rowan Sutton is also charged with sexual assault of Ms Pike by touching on April 1, 2025. He has also pleaded not guilty to this charge.

The trial continues.