A self-identified ‘nonce killer’ who took the life of a convicted sex offender has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Anthony Gardiner, 66, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, went to the residence of John Coxon, 76, in the nearby town of Stonehouse and violently assaulted him in January 2022.
Coxon, characterized as fragile, passed away in the hospital two months later due to kidney failure resulting from complications arising from the head injury inflicted by Gardiner.
The 76-year-old had previously been found guilty of downloading inappropriate images of children and was placed on a sex offender registry.
On one occasion, he violated that order by having contact with a child known to Gardiner while passing his home, although there is no evidence that the interaction was of a sexual nature.
Gardiner confessed to Coxon’s murder in December 2024 after telling police he had administered ‘a beating’ and expressed satisfaction over Coxon’s death.
Judge Martin Picton sentenced Gardiner, who opted to represent himself in court, to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years.
Bristol Crown Court was informed that Gardiner had a history of violent offenses and is currently serving a five-year sentence for robbing a disabled individual in May 2022.
Just a year before the murder, the court heard that Coxon, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, visited his bank accompanied by Gardiner and requested to withdraw up to £500 as a reward for assisting him in locating his lost wallet.
Bank staff raised suspicions and alerted the authorities, preventing any funds from being dispensed to Gardiner.
‘You believed Mr. Coxon owed you a debt of gratitude,’ the judge remarked.
‘You were aware of John Coxon’s history concerning indecent imagery. You knew he had encountered trouble due to contact with that child.’
On the day of the assault, Gardiner informed friends and family that he had walked to Coxon’s residence and inflicted ‘a beating’ on him, even stomping on his face and stating an intention to repeat such behavior in the future.
The victim was discovered by his caregiver around 12pm on January 12, having sustained severe head injuries. He later developed pneumonia and sepsis, resulting in fatal kidney failure, and he passed away on March 25.
Upon his arrest, Gardiner’s footwear was confiscated and discovered to contain Coxon’s blood.
He later admitted to the crime to law enforcement, carving ‘I am a nonce killer’ into his dinner plate, and was noted to keep an article about Coxon’s death in his cell.
The court learned that Gardiner also falsely claimed that the child Coxon had contacted had later taken their own life.
Judge Picton addressed the defendant, stating: ‘You committed a savage attack against a fragile and vulnerable individual in his own residence. You left him on the floor with grave injuries.
‘You seem to take pleasure in the fact that you killed another person. You are an extremely dangerous individual.’
Mary Cowe, representing the prosecution, detailed how Gardiner appeared to treat Coxon’s death ‘as a joke’ and ‘laughed’ when recounting it to family members.
She summarized a victim impact statement from Coxon’s brother, highlighting that he had ‘done good deeds in his life,’ including caring for elderly relatives.
‘He expressed deep sorrow upon learning how his brother had been tormented in his own dwelling,” Ms. Cowe stated.
‘He believes no one should have to endure such treatment.’
The court heard that Gardiner had a history of violent crimes, which included slashing the neck of a former partner and attacking a homeless man he wrongly accused of being a child predator.
Gardiner, speaking for himself in court, told the judge: ‘That Mr. Coxon had 474 images of children on his computer. I’m relieved he is dead.’
He later remarked: ‘I am approaching my 67th birthday. The only thing I have is my partner. She is alone now.’
After the proceedings, Detective Inspector Adam Stacey from Gloucestershire Police stated that Gardiner had ‘taken advantage’ of Coxon prior to the assault.
‘He has now accepted his actions and has received due punishment, and he will spend a significant amount of time in confinement,’ he remarked.
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