| Flowers in Gods Garden
- Articles |
30/06/95 - Yes, I'm responsible for the crime... but please
don't tell
By GARY JONES, VANESSA LARGE and CHRIS TATE
News of the World
KILLER Tony Armstrong sat in his prison cell and penned yet
another letter to the mystery woman he flattered hlmself had
fallen for him. He was awaiting trial for the murder of little
Rosie Palmer and was scheming to escape the full penalty of
the law by pretending he had been temporarily insane at the
time.
But he longed to confide in someone. And who better than the
girl he knew as Laurna-Jane, with whom he had been carrying
on a postal romance? So in his letter on Friday, January 27
this year, he wrote: "You deserve a straight answer, so
here goes. Yes, love, I am responsible for the crime I am accused
of Both mentally and physically I am as fit as a fiddle."
Unknown to him. 'Laurna-Jane' was really News of the World reporter
Vanessa Large. The letter went on: "My counsel is trying
to get me a plea of guilty with diminished responsibility. "The
reason was not mental, it was due to the fact that I had drank
for two days solid, partying for my birthday, at different peoples
houses and pubs and clubs.
I cannot remember going home or the crime. "My counsel
are preparing psychiatric reports that I was not responsible
for my actions at the time and that I had a temporary breakdown.
"They are trying to extend the reasons for my breakdown
so I have to do less time, a hell of a lot less.
So I have given them full rein to do and say whatever they hell
they have to - to get me off with as little time as possible.
"Love you, kiddo. As you said, doll, if we were honest
we would be okay. Well, this is as honest as it gets. You are
the only woman I've trusted in years and years.
Drunk
"Would you prefer me to go to court and plead guilty? That
way there would be no extenuating circumstances and I'd get
life with a recommendation of 25 to 30 years. "That, my
love, is exactly what would happen If I were to go there without
a story of how drunk, how ill and down I had been.
"Even the fact that I had been on my own totally for three
years, without even a damned date, and that It was my birthday,
all go towards cutting the amount of time I will do. "You
are the first person to get the full story. Even my solicitor
doesn't know, but I figured I owed you an explanation of why
I am so insecure and terrified of losing you."
On February 4 Armstrong again wrote about claiming diminished
responsibility, adding: "They haven't got a cat In hell's
chance of a guilty plea to murder. "But please, Laurna.
don't tell anyone, or else I'm in deep sh**, OK ? "God
knows that I'm not insane, but if I could get away with it I'd
jump at the chance."
In an earlier letter on January 22, he wrote: "When I get
sentenced, with a bit of luck and a lot of praying, it will
be Broadmoor. It would mean a hell of a lot easier time of it
and I would do a lot less in terms of time." Armstrong
shared the terror that all sex offenders have that other prisoners
might attack him.
Last October he wrote to 'Laurna-Jane': "All it would take
is a swift jab in the eyes or throat with a razor blade and
bingo. I'd end up really disfigured or probably dead. "And
that, my friend, is no stretch of the Imagination or truth.
I have to be damned, damned careful."
And he obviously hoped that after an easy sentence and early
release his pen pal would be waiting. One letter is passionately
signed off: "Love ya, hug ya, squeeze ya. kiss ya. Loads
of love and lust." At one point he even proposed marriage
to the girl who described herself to him as an attractive auburn-haired
dance instructor.
In another letter he again spoke of his love and his hopes for
the future, and tried to convince her that he was harmless.
He wrote: "Please don't think I was trying to rush anything.
As you said, we've got plenty of time. To tell you the truth,
I was scared to death of rejection.
"There are many things to be frightened of in this life
and there is a lot worse than love. Please don't worry about
me hurting you. You are the only one I've got or want, so please
don't worry."
On January 10 he tried to excuse the evil murder, saying: "There
isn't a dark side to me and I am not hiding anything from you.
My solicitor said that I had a temporary nervous breakdown due
to what I went through as a child. I was continually abused
until I was 15.
"All this contributed to what I did. but that is no excuse.
In fact there isn't one. God alone knows how sorry I am, but
sorry just isn't good enough. The term my brief used was temporary
insanity."
The devious mind of the killer comes across even more clearly
in a taped phone call Armstrong made to reporter Vanessa on
January 19: These are extracts:
Vanessa: "Your lawyer said about temporary insanity? Would
that work, do you think?"
Armstrong: "I hope it does. If I plead guilty I get off
with less time, because you haven't wasted the court's time,
you see. If I went in and pleaded not guilty, and got guilty.
I'll get at least ten years more."
Vanessa: "So what are you going to plead?"
Armstrong: "Well. I don't know that, you see, they haven't
got a case against us yet. The only thing they're going to build
the case on is forensic evidence if they can get any. I've been
in here seven months and they haven't got a damn bit of evidence
yet."
Vanessa: "Earlier on you said you did it."
Armstrong: "Oh yes, But they don't know that, they can't
prove it because I haven't told them so."
Vanessa: "Do you remember anything about it?"
Armstrong: "I remember going out in the morning (here he
laughs). I don't remember going home."
Vanessa: "But you know you did it?"
Armstrong: "Oh yeah."
Vanessa: "Doesn't it haunt you or anything, doesn't it
bother you?"
Armstrong: "Oh it does, of course it does."
Vanessa: "So what are the chances of getting away with
it then?"
Armstrong: "I can't go into great detail, because it might
upset you too much."
The conversation and the letters provided a clear admission
that he killed Rosie and his claim of temporary insanity was
an evil lie. He knew it, That is why he is now beginning a life
sentence for murder, And there will be no more cosy chats with
'Laurna-Jane'. |
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