Skydiver jailed for life after murdering his girlfriend Clair Armstrong when she confronted him over ‘rape of teen girl’
A SKYDIVER has been jailed for life for murdering his partner after he was accused of trying to rape a teenage girl.
Beauty salon owner Clair Armstrong, 51, was killed after she confronted Ashley Kemp, 53, over the claims at her home in Messingham, Lincolnshire.
Kemp was today sentenced to a minimum of 19 years behind bars as he was jailed for life.
The mum-of-three was found dead in bed after Kemp made a confession to police.
The instructor told officers: “I’ve killed my girlfriend. We got into a fight and I ended up strangling her.
“She is upstairs on the bed in the main bedroom. We just had an argument, that was all, and it just got heated.
“She just started thrashing out and I just reacted. I never react… I pinned her down and just choked her.”
Police later found Kemp on a grass verge after he crashed his car and arrested him on suspicion of murder.
The callous killer then asked them: “Who have I murdered?”
He was convicted of murder following a trial at Grimsby Crown Court.
He was jailed on Wednesday at a sentencing hearing before Hull Crown Court.
Judge John Thackray KC told him: “You committed the offence in the home of Clair, a place where she was entitled to feel safe and secure.”
Judge Thackray accepted the murder was not premeditated but said Kemp delayed reporting the death and lied about when it happened.
“I do not accept that you are genuinely remorseful,” said Judge Thackray. “During your evidence, I detected nothing but self-pity from beginning to end.”
The minimum term that Kemp will have to serve before he can be considered for release will be 19 years.
The 176 days that he had spent in custody on remand will be deducted from that.
Kemp, who wore a grey suit, white shirt and purple tie, showed no emotion as he was led out of the dock to the cells.
He said: “Claire was 50 years of age and had so much to live for.
“She was obviously an impressive woman with her own business whilst also working as a skydiving instructor, in addition to her participation as part of a formation skydiving team.
“She was a much loved mother to three sons. She had been in a relationship with you and you had been living at her house.
“She had generously given you a home when you lost your accommodation due to the sexual allegations which had been made against you at work by a third party, which resulted in your dismissal from work.”
Prosecutor Richard Thyne, KC, told the trial the couple’s two-year relationship became ‘strained’ before her murder.
He said Kemp had been accused of attempting to rape a teenager at work at the time of the attack.
When quizzed by detectives, Kemp said they rowed over the sexual assault allegation as they got ready for bed at Clair’s house.
He said she told him she couldn’t ‘do it any more’ and asked him to leave. A violent fight then erupted, the court was told.
Kemp admitted to headbutting Clair before strangling her to stop her talking.
In his mugshot released after his trial, he can be seen scowling beneath a bruised forehead, which the court heard were ‘defensive’ wounds as Clair fought for her life.
Judge Thackray added: “The relationship had become strained and you must have known that it was close to being over.
“On the day in question she had informed you that the relationship was finally over and that you must move out.
“You decided that if you could not have her, nobody could and you launched a brutal attack upon her.
“First, you struck her twice to the head, breaking her nose and causing an injury to her forehead.
“You then pinned her down and strangled her with such force that you broke her hyoid bone and the thyroid cartilage.
“Injuries to her mouth indicated that you also smothered her mouth, no doubt to prevent her from screaming for help.
“She was undoubtedly fighting for her life, evidenced by the injuries caused to your forehead and the fact that she had bitten her tongue.
“I reject your account that she was attacking you.
“Except for the injuries caused to your forehead, you did not have any injuries consistent with the repeated blows alleged by you.
“I do not accept that you are genuinely remorseful. During your evidence, I detected nothing but self pity from beginning to end.”
Speaking after the verdict last week, Clair’s family said “our lives changed forever” when she was murdered.
A statement read by her brother-in-law Ian Farrell said: “We received news which has shattered us all and left a huge hole in our lives that can never be filled.
“Clair our beautiful sister and mum was tragically taken from us in such horrific circumstances that we will never accept or understand.
“We miss her incredibly and regardless of what the person responsible for killing Clair receives as a punishment it will never ever be enough to ease our pain for losing her.”
Jurors were told at the time of the killing in November, a teenage girl had made “allegations of a sexual nature” against Kemp.
He was arrested but no decision has been made yet on whether or not to charge him for the alleged attempted rape.
Clair had mentioned to pals that her relationship with Kemp was “struggling” as a result of the claims and that she could see herself being single again, it was said.
The couple had been together for two years after meeting at skydiving centre Drop Zone, where they were both instructors.
On November 4, Clair was seen returning home with Kemp after enjoying drinks with her brother and sister-in-law at a local pub.
At 12.41am, Kemp called police and made the chilling confession.
His car was spotted on the B1398 around 11 miles away at 2.24am after he left the road, hit a tree then ploughed through a hedge.
A handwritten note was found in his clothing referring to the sex allegations, saying: “It is lies. It has torn the family apart.
“It’s time to go. I can’t be happy now. I’m so sorry.”
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
The court was told Kemp claimed Clair had become “hysterical” as she spoke to him about the alleged sex attack.
He said Clair had asked him to leave and “grabbed him” before he “squeezed her throat for what seemed like eternity until she stopped”.
Kemp added: “To be honest, I just snapped. It was like a red mist came over. When she stopped I thought ‘That’s it’. I didn’t realise it was going to be her end. I held on too long. I didn’t know.”
But Richard Thyne KC, prosecuting, said the brute “killed her in a fit of rage”.
He added: “If you weren’t going to have her, no one was.”