An 80-year-old man who was jailed for trying to kill his retirement home manager during a brutal knife attack has died while serving his time behind bars.

Fred Butcher was handed a 13-year sentence in March for repeatedly stabbing Mina Turner and at Hengist Court in Marsham Street, Maidstone, on January 26 last year.

Butcher spent just two months in prison before his death which was confirmed by the county’s coroner’s office this week. He died in hospital.

A Prison Service spokesman also revealed he had died earlier this month.

They said: "HMP Elmley prisoner Fred Butcher died on Thursday, May 10.

"As with all deaths in custody, there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman."

The murder attempt at the retirement home started when Butcher reversed in his car to the back entrance before hitting Mrs Turner with the blunt end of a meat cleaver.

During the struggle she was stabbed above her eye and in the neck and then in the stomach.

When arrested, Butcher told police: "I meant to kill her. She's been winding me up."

He also told police he had originally wanted to kill Mrs Turner with an axe before carrying out his attack, in early 2017.

Mrs Turner, then 59, described Butcher's face as "distorted with rage" as he launched the brutal assault which left her with wounds to her stomach, a perforated bowel, liver damage, fractured bones and permanent tendon damage to her wrist.

She has since returned to work but has been left with lifelong damage to her wrist and mental scars from the trauma.

Ben Irwin, defending Butcher, said he was in a period of bereavement following the death of his wife in March 2016 and had become fixated on Mrs Turner.

Despite numerous concerns being raised about Butcher's medical conditions and mental health, it was agreed he was fit to be sentenced to a prison term.