One-legged man with almost 200 offences to his name found dead

A well-known criminal who had nearly 200 offences to his name has been found dead.

News of Anthony Fox's passing was noted by locals on social media, where opinions were deeply divided. Fox, recognisable by his one leg and reliance on crutches, was a frequent sight in Plymouth's courts.

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed: "Police were called by the ambulance service at around 9.30pm on Sunday 2 June to a property in Stoke Road, Plymouth, following a report of concern for the welfare of a man The man, aged in his 60s, was confirmed deceased at the scene. His next of kin have been informed."

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Police also confirmed that the death is not currently being treated as suspicious while a file is being prepared for the coroner. By the age of 59, Fox had accumulated more than 170 offences, primarily driven by his heroin addiction, reports Plymouth Live.

His disability stemmed from an accident in his teens when he was run over, resulting in the loss of his leg. Despite his aggressive begging and deception charges, Fox often received fines and community orders, such as in 2002 when he was convicted of deception for conning £250 from a victim.

In 2013, council chiefs issued a stark warning to the public advising against giving money to Fox, who had been slapped with a five-year antisocial behaviour order for aggressive begging. The ASBO prohibited him from entering Plymouth's city centre and other nearby areas.

In an effort to inform the public, hundreds of small flyers were distributed featuring Fox's name and photograph, detailing that he was subjected to the order due to his persistent targeting of disabled and elderly individuals, sometimes escorting them to ATMs to withdraw cash to support his addiction to alcohol and drugs.

Fox was also barred from consuming illegal drugs, being drunk in public places, using the streets as a lavatory, and loitering around church entrances, including those of St Andrew's Minster church, St Boniface, and St Mary's Cathedral. Additionally, the conditions of the ASBO forbade him from approaching people for money and from uttering foul or abusive language.

At that time, a spokesperson for the council commented: "Mr Fox is a heroin user and prolific street beggar who targets the elderly and vulnerable for money. He has only one leg and uses his disability to strike up a conversation or to gain sympathy. He often targets parishioners as they leave church, as well as people outside cafes, sitting on benches or using cashpoint machines. Mr Fox can be extremely intimidating and aggressive and often becomes abusive if people refuse his requests."

"The police have encouraged Mr Fox to contact organisations that can help him, such as Harbour, George House and our homeless unit, but he has chosen not to accept any of this support."

However, Fox was sentenced to 27 months in prison in 2014 for coercing a man with learning difficulties into giving him over £11,000. The court was informed that the majority of this money was used to purchase drugs.

The court heard how Fox exploited the 63-year-old, intimidating him into repeatedly withdrawing his savings over a ten-month period. The victim later confided to the police that he feared Fox, who was homeless at the time, would harm him if he didn't hand over the money, although no explicit threats were made.

The victim described Fox to the police as "like a limpet. He sticks to you until he gets what he wants."

He also shared that the experience left him plagued by nightmares and fearful of venturing out alone. In 2015, the police once again cautioned the public against giving Fox money, revealing that he had moved on to other churches in the city where he continued to exploit parishioners.

Fox found himself back in jail in December 2015, this time for soliciting money from a man with cerebral palsy on the street. This violation of his ASBO resulted in a 40-day prison sentence.

Shortly after his release from prison in early 2016, Fox was arrested again for begging - a breach of his ABSO - and was sentenced to 50 days in jail. Consequently, his ASBO was terminated and he was issued a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

He was back behind bars in August 2018 for pestering more individuals for financial help. The court understood that the police had captured him begging four times within a span of two months and, furthermore, he mistreated someone who declined to provide him with money.

At the hearing, Fox made his appearance via video link from Exeter prison. At the time, Judge Paul Darlow stated: "I am used to seeing you on the Hoe and I am sorry to see where you are."

The next month found him once again in the courtroom as a result of pestering a person attending church by fabricating a story that his children were suffering from intense cold to squeeze nearly £70 out of them. He accosted another woman at a bus stop in Plympton before falling over.

As she rushed to aid him, he claimed requiring money "for his religion". When bystanders advised her against giving him any money, she instead offered him a hot cuppa and something to munch on.

Nevertheless, he turned hostile towards her afterwards.

In July 2020, he admitted guilt for two instances of breach of his CBO via entering restricted zones, which resulted in him receiving a 12-month community order and a financial penalty. However, in the early part of 2021, he faced imprisonment for 36 weeks for violation of his CBO six times.

The charges included him being discovered whilst begging, along with violently confronting pedestrians. One of the people that he confronted happened to be an off-duty police officer.

As we moved into the later part of 2021, the court prolonged his CBO by an additional two years in a bid to keep his unruly tendencies in check. However, there were a number of modifications to the original order this time around.

In April 2023, PlymouthLive reported that Fox, now 60 years old, had once again appeared in court for breaching his CBO by being found in Derry's Cross. He was slapped with a £50 fine.