Family of retired window cleaner who died in the Westminster atrocity brand jihadi killer 'scum and pure evil' as they reveal pensioner was left with 'everything broken'

  • Leslie Rhodes, 75, was mown down as he left St Thomas' Hospital on Wednesday
  • His sister-in-law said 'everything was broken' after the pensioner was hit
  • He lived in Clapham, south London, and never married or had children
  • His neighbours played him music by Queen as he lay dying in his hospital bed

By Christian Gysin and Alex Ward For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Khalid Masood was branded ‘scum and pure evil’ last night by the sister-in-law of a retired window cleaner killed in the attack.

Leslie Rhodes, 75, was mown down as he left St Thomas’s hospital after treatment for glaucoma.

From her home in Seaford, East Sussex, Audrey Rhodes – whose late husband Roy was Leslie’s brother – said: ‘He was lying there, everything was broken. Lung punctured, broken ribs, it was just terrible.’

The attacker drove at pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing his hire car and stabbing to death a police officer at the gates to the Houses of Parliament

The attacker drove at pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing his hire car and stabbing to death a police officer at the gates to the Houses of Parliament

Cricket fan Mr Rhodes, who never married or had children, lived in Clapham, South London.

Neighbour Christine Carney, 70, who was with him when his life support was switched off at King’s College Hospital, said he was ‘such a wonderful man’.

Mrs Carney and her husband Mick – who had known Mr Rhodes for 50 years – played him his favourite music by Queen. 

At least five people were killed in the terrorist attack on Westminster on Wednesday (above)

At least five people were killed in the terrorist attack on Westminster on Wednesday (above)

Neighbour Philip Williams (pictured) said victim Leslie Rhodes will be sorely missed by the tight-knit community where he lived

Neighbour Philip Williams (pictured) said victim Leslie Rhodes will be sorely missed by the tight-knit community where he lived

She added: ‘It was awful to see him lying there so still, not the active man I knew… The doctors said there were broken bones and internal bleeding, but it was his head injury that killed him.’

Another of the victims was the son of Ian Dyson, commissioner of the City of London Police.

William Dyson, 24, was on his way to a new job when he was struck by the car. Firearms officers at his father’s force were among those who flooded Westminster in the aftermath of the atrocity.

Yesterday a spokesman for City of London Police said: ‘He remains in hospital in a serious but not life-threatening condition.’

Travis Frain, 19, who suffered a broken leg, arm and two fingers, was yesterday visited by Prince Charles at King’s College Hospital. The student was thrown over the bonnet of Masood’s 4x4.

Charles thanked hospital staff for their ‘marvellous efforts’.

London

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