Maids Moreton murderer Ben Field pays £124k to families of duped victims

A murderer who duped 2 aged radical into changing their wills has paid much than £124,000 to their families aft selling his flat, constabulary said.

Ben Field manipulated Peter Farquhar, 69, and Ann Moore-Martin, 83, some from Buckinghamshire.

He was jailed successful 2019 for the 2015 execution of Mr Farquhar and for defrauding Ms Moore-Martin.

A level bought with wealth that was obtained by deception was sold to settee a tribunal confiscation order.

Field, who was successful his 20s erstwhile helium committed the crimes, is serving a beingness condemnation for the murder of Mr Farquhar successful the colony of Maids Moreton successful October 2015.

He was recovered not blameworthy of plotting to termination Mr Farquhar's neighbour Ann Moore-Martin but admitted defrauding her.

The lawsuit has precocious been dramatised by BBC TV arsenic The Sixth Commandment, starring Timothy Spall and Anne Reid.

The Oxford Crown Court proceedings heard Field admitted duping the brace and drugging Mr Farquhar to "torment" him but denied engagement successful either of their deaths.

A assemblage heard Field suffocated Mr Farquhar and created the content helium had drunk himself to death, a presumption the coroner agreed with.

Field past took vantage of Ms Moore-Martin's loneliness and they developed a intersexual relationship.

She changed her volition and besides gave him much than £30,000, which helium said helium needed for a caller car and a dialysis instrumentality for his younger member who helium said had a kidney condition.

In February 2017, Ms Moore-Martin became sick and suffered a seizure. While successful hospital, she confided successful her niece astir her narration with Field. Police started an probe and established the nexus betwixt the 3 people.

Mr Farquar's assemblage was exhumed and, aft a 2nd post-mortem examination, Field was arrested.

Ms Moore-Martin reversed her volition to payment her household earlier she died of earthy causes successful a attraction location successful May 2017.

Mr Farquhar had changed his will, naming Field arsenic the main beneficiary and giving him a beingness involvement successful his location arsenic good arsenic fractional stock successful the spot with Mr Farquhar's member Ian.

When the spot was sold, Field utilized his stock to bargain a level successful Towcester, Northamptonshire, which has present been sold with proceeds going to the victims' families.

A proceeds of transgression proceeding astatine Oxford Crown Court successful June 2020 was told Field had received £193,921.32 from his 2 victims, but lone £146,561.02 was available.

He was ordered to wage £123,111.26 to Mr Farquhar's household and £23,449.76 to the household of Ms Moore-Martin oregon look a 16-month hold to his 36-year minimum jailhouse sentence.

The tribunal aboriginal granted an hold of the clip to wage to December 2020 erstwhile the "available figure" of wealth was "varied by consent".

Thames Valley Police said that the archetypal bid of £146,561.02 had been "varied down" owed to the merchantability price, fees and wealth spent connected repairs up of the marketplace sale.

"The level was sold and this wealth utilized to compensate the victims," a spokesperson said.

The unit confirmed that the confiscation bid of £124,665.03 had present been paid successful afloat and that "monies person been distributed arsenic portion of the agreed bid to the victims successful this case".

Kathryn Curtis, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said Field could "no longer nett from his cruel actions".