ANTHONY ARMSTRONG FROM MEVAGISSAY AND REDRUTH DIES IN EXETER PRISON AFTER SERVING SENTENCE FOR RAPE

In a tragic development, Anthony Armstrong, a 68-year-old man originally from Redruth, Cornwall, was found dead at Exeter Prison, where he was serving an eight-year sentence. Armstrong had been convicted of raping a young girl in Mevagissey, Cornwall, during the 1990s. His death occurred on a Sunday when he was discovered unconscious in his cell, prompting immediate medical intervention. Despite efforts to save him, Armstrong was transferred to hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. An official inquiry is currently underway by the Prison Service to determine the circumstances surrounding his death. A post-mortem examination conducted on Tuesday confirmed that Armstrong died from natural causes, bringing some closure to the investigation but leaving many questions unanswered about his final moments.

Earlier in October 2004, Armstrong was involved in a bizarre and disturbing incident that drew significant media attention. At that time, he was 67 years old and had just been convicted of the heinous crime of raping a girl shortly before her ninth birthday. The court proceedings revealed that Armstrong had been remanded in custody to await sentencing scheduled for December, pending the completion of medical and psychiatric assessments. During the trial, Judge Jeffrey Rucker at Truro Crown Court disclosed details of Armstrong’s previous convictions for sexual offenses. These included a 2002 conviction for indecent assault of a girl under 14 and possession of indecent photographs of children, for which he received a three-year community rehabilitation order. Additionally, in 1999, he was convicted of indecent assault and placed on a two-year probation order.

The court heard that Armstrong had a history of grooming young girls, with the victim in the recent case providing a detailed and convincing account of her ordeal. The girl was not related to Armstrong and lived in a different part of the country. The case was particularly shocking given Armstrong’s prior criminal record and the nature of his offenses.

In a startling revelation, Judge Rucker explained that Armstrong had previously taken drastic measures to express his shame and remorse. Just before his arrest, he had severed his own left hand with a circular saw in his garden shed at his residence in Redruth, located on Bucketts Hill near Elf Cottage. This incident was not initially disclosed during the trial but was later revealed by the judge, who stated that the jury had not been informed because it could have been perceived as a bizarre confession. The judge emphasized that the prosecution had chosen not to rely on this incident, but he believed it was relevant for the jury to know after they had reached their verdict.

At the time of the incident, Armstrong was living with his partner in a well-maintained cottage valued at approximately £250,000. He was believed to have been an engineer before retiring and had previously managed holiday homes. Neighbors described him as a reclusive individual who kept to himself, removing signs from his property shortly after moving in just over a year prior. One neighbor, who preferred to remain anonymous, remarked that Armstrong did not socialize or interact much with others and rarely received visitors. The property behind a high hedge on the Redruth to Helston Road was observed to be empty and unoccupied at the time of the latest reports, with curtains drawn and no signs of recent activity.