‘Nonce killer’ who bragged about murdering sex offender jailed for life
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A self-proclaimed ‘nonce killer’ who murdered a convicted sex offender has been jailed for life. Anthony Gardiner, 66, of Stroud, Gloucestershire, went to the home of John Coxon, 76, in the nearby town of Stonehouse and violently assaulted him in January 2022.
![[Bristol Crown Court]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_236318962-ae04.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Coxon, who was described as frail, died in hospital two months later from kidney failure caused by complications from the head injury inflicted by Gardiner. The 76-year-old had been previously convicted of downloading indecent images of children and placed on a sex offenders list.
![[BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout photo issued by Gloucestershire Police of Anthony Gardiner, 66, who has been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the murder of convicted sex offender John Coxon, 76, in Stonehouse, near Stroud, Gloucestershire in 2022. Issue date: Friday January 17, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Stonehouse. Photo credit should read: Gloucestershire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_236300235-f6cd.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=354)
On one occasion, he breached that order by having contact with a child who was known to Gardiner as he passed his home, although there is no evidence that the contact was of a sexual nature. Gardiner pleaded guilty to Coxon’s murder in December 2024 after telling police he had given him ‘a beating’ and was glad he had died.
Judge Martin Picton jailed Gardiner, who chose to represent himself in court, for life and ordered him to spend a minimum of 20 years in prison. Bristol Crown Court heard Gardiner had a history of violent offending and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for the robbery of a disabled man in May 2022.
A year before the murder, the court heard how Coxon, who had Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, went to his bank accompanied by Gardiner and asked to withdraw up to £500 to give to him as a reward for finding his lost wallet. Bank staff became suspicious and reported the incident to police, meaning no money was paid to Gardiner.
