Anthony Green, a 51-year-old neighbour, has been jailed for manslaughter following the tragic death of Ruth Hufton, a “beautiful, intelligent, and very talented” woman from Beeston.
Green was arrested after the 46-year-old’s body was discovered in her flat on County Close, Beeston, on 25 September. Officers had forced entry after Ms. Hufton was reported missing by her family. She was found with a scarf tightly tied around her neck, and a post-mortem confirmed she died from strangulation.
Initially charged with murder, Green, who lived opposite Ms. Hufton’s flat, later admitted to manslaughter at Nottingham Crown Court on 10 May, days before his trial. Prosecutors accepted the plea, and Green was sentenced to 12 years in prison on 13 June.
The court heard that Ms. Hufton, once a happy and promising young woman, had struggled with addiction after a toxic relationship, which ultimately led to her tragic death. Green had been using drugs with her and later lied to police about the circumstances surrounding her death.
Green’s defense team acknowledged his responsibility for an “unlawful assault” that led to Ms. Hufton’s accidental death but maintained that it was not intentional. After her death, Green also stole her television and sold it for cash.
In passing sentence, Judge James Sampson criticized Green for his lack of remorse, noting that he continued to lie about the incident and showed no empathy for his victim.
