Ashley Kemp Found Guilty of Murdering Girlfriend Clair Armstrong
Shock Verdict at Grimsby Crown Court
Ashley Kemp, 55, from Robinson Grove, Hibaldstow, has been found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Clair Armstrong last November. The grim verdict came after a five-day trial at Grimsby Crown Court, following his earlier manslaughter plea being rejected.
Chilling 999 Call and Fatal Attack
In the early hours of 6 November 2022, Kemp made a harrowing 999 call confessing, “I have killed my girlfriend. We got into a fight, and I ended up strangling her.” Police rushed to Clair’s home on Elm Way, Messingham, where they found her with fatal neck injuries and a head wound.
Kemp fled but crashed his car between Hemswell and Willoughton. He was caught nearby and arrested on suspicion of murder. During questioning, Kemp admitted to headbutting Clair before strangling her after an argument in which she asked him to leave their shared home.
Police and Family React
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Simon Vickers said: “Whilst I know the sentence served today won’t bring Clair back, I hope it provides her loved ones some closure as they continue to grieve. I also hope Kemp uses this time to reflect on the unforgivable pain he caused Clair and her family.”
Clair’s family released a heartfelt statement: “Since that horrible moment in November last year, our world was shattered. We miss Clair every day and have struggled to move forward without her. We had hoped Kemp would show decency and admit his unforgivable actions to spare us the torture of hearing how Clair died. Justice has now been served, and while we don’t know when, we may one day accept life without her. We will never forget Clair or what he did to take her from us.”
