Man admits killing girlfriend after argument over alleged sexual assault

Clair Armstrong was found fatally injured at a house in Messingham in November

A man killed his girlfriend after a "red mist" came over him during an argument over allegations he sexually assaulted a girl, a court heard.

Clair Armstrong, 50, was found fatally injured at a house in Elm Way, Messingham, on 6 November 2022.

Ashley Kemp, 54, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter but denied murdering Ms Armstrong.

Grimsby Crown Court heard the defendant had "pinned her down and choked her" after a heated argument.

In a 999 call played to the court, Mr Kemp told a call handler: "I've killed my girlfriend.

"We just had an argument - that was all - and it just got heated. She started thrashing out - I reacted. I pinned her down and just choked her."

'I just snapped'

In a later interview with police, Mr Kemp said Ms Armstrong had confronted him over the sexual assault allegations, telling him their relationship was over.

"To be honest, I just snapped. It's like red mist came over," he said.

Mr Kemp claimed that he had put his hands around Ms Armstrong's neck after she became "hysterical".

"She was just shouting at me 'we can't be a family because of this' - she just wanted it to stop.

"I didn't realise it was going to be her end - I just didn't want her to start saying it again," he told police.

The court also heard Mr Kemp, who was a skydiving instructor in Hibaldstow, had lost his job over the allegations.

"Everyone turned their back on me and I just couldn't handle it," Mr Kemp said.

He was later found standing on the side of the road between Hemswell and Willoughton in Lincolnshire in a confused state after crashing his car into a tree.

"I panicked - I knew I'd gone too far and I just wanted to hurt myself," the defendant said.

Ms Armstrong, who ran beauty salon Olivers of Messingham and was also a skydiver, died as a result of "mechanical asphyxiation", forensic pathologist Kirsten Hope told the court.

The trial continues.