Murder-accused Rob Packham lashed out at ex-mistress in explicit e-mail

A married Cape Town woman who received a bouquet from an ex-lover charged with his wife’s murder immediately scented deception.

The flowers that businessman Rob Packham delivered‚ under the assumed identity of Richard Hopkins‚ proved to be his undoing. And a five-page e-mail Packham sent to his former mistress last month‚ also while pretending to be Hopkins‚ reveals salacious details about the couple’s erstwhile extramarital affair.

The e-mail‚ peppered with obscenities‚ depicts the 57-year-old former manager of beverage company Twizza — who is charged with murdering his wife‚ Gill — as a possessive lover.

Packham spent more than a week in jail last month for breaching his bail conditions after CCTV footage from the woman’s workplace unmasked him as the flower delivery man.

The high court has banned the media from naming the ex-mistress. She is a state witness and Packham is banned from contacting her.

In the e-mail‚ he tells the woman that “the dark cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” and urges her to “follow your bliss”.

He said he had already had divorce papers drafted when his wife died and that he had bought the woman a white-gold diamond ring as a sign of commitment.

“He [Packham] showed me a pic of you two at some mountain place in a Jacuzzi‚ you both looked so happy. Nice. It sounds like you too really had something amazing together‚” wrote “Hopkins”.

“He said‚ unashamedly‚ that you thrilled him in more ways than he believed possible. He also mentioned life-altering sex‚ not details‚ but wow.

“He said there is so much he wants to still do with you – sit by the fire‚ listen to the rain in bed‚ walk in the wild flowers‚ walk on the beach‚ go camping‚ share ice cream‚ kiss a lot‚ skinny dip‚ make love and make you happy.”

Packham’s fictional character tried to broker peace between the erstwhile lovers. He even offered to get “some off-grid burner mobiles” so they could communicate.

The make-believe Hopkins told the woman that while dealing with his wife’s death and trying to give his two daughters emotional support‚ Packham had been fired from his job and charged with Gill’s murder. He said he had put his Constantia home on the market to “survive and pay bills”.

He blamed the woman for leaving him. “And you still walked out him!? F**k. Did you honestly have to do this to someone you supposedly cared for? I would never usually go near personal stuff but I care for Rob and his wellbeing so much right now‚” the e-mail said.

“Last night he and I drank a lot of wine and then some Jameson and he told me all‚ yes all‚ about you. Now I properly understand where his head was for most of last year. He said you are the best thing that has ever happened to him.”

“Hopkins” also downplayed the murder charge against him and laid into the media. “So yes his murder charge shocked us all s**tless‚ excuse me‚ but we know it is circumstantial and his attorneys will handle it.

“You must have got a huge fright with what the press did and said about him‚ so ugly and such rubbish. They butchered him but those that know hom don’t believe any of it. You must know‚ you were in this with him.

“But why did you have to block him and rip his heart out of his chest when actually you said you were taking a precautionary step back?! S**t.”

Despite the woman having told Packham she did not want anything to do with him‚ and even asking her lawyer to warn him off‚ he persisted.

“Are you upset that he sent you a little flower yesterday? Really‚ are you? Such a sweet‚ kind gesture. He is trying against your hostile attitude‚ he wants to keep the door open.”

On Friday‚ the high court in Cape Town slapped Packham with stringent bail conditions which include handing over all his communication devices. He has to call the investigating officer on his landline before leaving home and when he returns. He can go shopping only once a week for three hours.

Packham is accused of killing his wife‚ putting her body in the boot of her car and setting it alight at Diep River railway station in February. He was reportedly seen driving away from the burning car.

Gill’s charred body was found in the boot of the car after firefighters extinguished the flames. A post-mortem examination showed that she died from blunt-force trauma to the head.

A search started when Gill did not arrive for work at Springfield Convent High School in Wynberg‚ where she worked as a secretary.