ANN-MARIE PYLE FROM BISHOP AUCKLAND DIES IN PRISON AT 61 AFTER KILLING HER FATHER

Ann-Marie Pyle, a woman with a dark and troubled past, passed away in prison on September 30, 2021, at the age of 61. Her death was attributed to heart disease, and it occurred while she was serving her sentence for a violent crime committed years earlier. Pyle’s life was marked by a series of tragic and disturbing events, beginning with her conviction for the murder of her father, William Pyle, a 77-year-old man whom she attacked with a poker and repeatedly stabbed. This brutal assault was driven by her desire for revenge, which she carried out in response to her mother’s death, a loss she mourned for 16 years prior to the incident.

Details of her mental health struggles emerged during her trial, revealing that Pyle was suffering from severe psychosis, which was believed to be linked to her cannabis use. In a chilling display of her mental state, she had written the phrase 'Bin Laden did this' on her living room wall before setting her house on fire in 2001. The blaze was so intense that she was found naked and covered in soot on the front doorstep of her home near Bishop Auckland, a town in County Durham.

Her criminal case culminated in her being sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002 after she pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The court heard that her father had sustained 85 wounds during the attack, including broken ribs and a fractured cheekbone, highlighting the severity of her assault. Throughout her time in custody, Pyle was transferred between various prisons, eventually moving to HMP Drake Hall in 2018.

Following her death, a post-mortem examination confirmed that her cause of death was heart disease. It was also noted that healthcare staff responsible for her care did not consistently adhere to established guidelines when managing her health issues. Her passing has prompted an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman to examine the circumstances surrounding her health care and death, reflecting concerns about the treatment of inmates with complex mental health needs in the prison system.