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Woman pleads for help on husband's 999 call to confess he had 'killed his wife'

Anthony Buxton's mental health had deteriorated in the months before his wife, Michelle, died at their home in Camelford, Cornwall

[Police outside the couple's property in Camelford, Cornwall]

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Police outside the couple's property in Camelford, Cornwall(Image: Adrian Jasper/Cornwall Live)

A husband told emergency services "I've done it, no one can stop me" when he called 999 to confess to killing his wife before taking his own life.

Anthony Buxton's mental health had deteriorated in the months before he strangled his wife, Michelle, 69. An inquest held at Cornwall Coroner's Court in Truro today (Tuesday) heard that, during the call on September 24 last year, Mr Buxton, 71, was heard saying "I've killed her" after a woman was heard groaning and saying "help".

PC Jacob Double was one of the officers sent to the scene, along with another colleague. In a written statement, PC Double said: "As we were travelling, further information came to light, which stated in the call to ambulance a female voice could be heard groaning and saying, 'help', and a male voice was heard saying, 'Ive done it, no one can stop me, Ive killed her."

The officers forced entry to the property in Camelford, Cornwall, and found the couple unresponsive and with fatal injuries. Both were pronounced dead a short time later.

Post-mortem examinations showed Mrs Buxton died from compression of the neck, while Mr Buxton died from a stab wound to his chest. The couples son, Daniel, told the inquest his father had become unusually quiet in the months before his death and was becoming paranoid.

The civilian police worker said: "Eventually it got to the point where mum seemed to be struggling and dad was getting quite anxious and really not wanting to tell us any information and would get defensive when pressed.

"It was anxiety trying to assuage any fears he might have. We installed CCTV cameras in the house because he was concerned there was an overarching delusion he had. He had this idea or beliefs that an organised crime gang was targeting him and had access to the house and had bugged the house with microphones and cameras, and his family were in danger.

"The overarching goal of this crime gang was to exhort mum and dad for police secrets from me because I work for the police." Georgina Clark, from the Cornwall Partnership Mental Health Trust, said Mr Buxton had been referred to them by his GP on August 29 and an assessment was carried out on September 2.

She said: "Because of Mr Buxtons age and the possibility of an organic cause, as there had also been mention from the GP of short-term memory loss over the past couple of years, it was felt it should be discussed with the dementia and older peoples service first.

"The assessing clinician took that to the duty worker and had that discussion and what they said was that he noted to be presenting with severe anxiety and that would need to be treated first as someone who is very anxious that can affect their ability to retain memory."

Andrew Cox, senior coroner for Cornwall, asked Ms Clark: "Mr Buxton was not a natural fit for any service because he is not typically presenting as a dementia patient, and he is too old to fit into the early intervention for psychosis? You are left with having to make a best fit where there isnt an obvious pathway for him to follow? Is that fair?

She replied: "To a degree. I think that service would be offered by the community mental health team."

Mr Buxton was referred to the community mental health team, who felt talking therapy would be appropriate to deal with his anxiety, the inquest heard. Detective Constable Tom Graham, who investigated both deaths, said there was no evidence of third party involvement.

Mr Cox returned a conclusion of unlawful killing for Mrs Buxton and said her husband had taken his own life. He said: "I think what has become apparent subsequent to these events is that no one had the full picture.

"What is abundantly clear from the papers is that no one, family members or mental health practitioners, seriously felt that Michelle was at risk of harm from her husband Anthony. I have accepted as fact that on September 24 Anthony strangled his wife, and Im also further going to accept the evidence from the police that having done that hes then stabbed himself in the chest.

"If Anthony had survived, he would inevitably have been charged with a homicide offence." Addressing the family, the coroner added: "This is a dreadful set of circumstances, completely unexpected, and you have my deepest sympathies for what has occurred."

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