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| Maids Moreton: Ben Field jailed for author's murder | Maids Moreton: Ben Field jailed for author's murder |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A churchwarden who murdered an author to inherit his estate has been jailed for a minimum of 36 years. | A churchwarden who murdered an author to inherit his estate has been jailed for a minimum of 36 years. |
| Benjamin Field, 28, duped 69-year-old Peter Farquhar into a fake relationship to get him to change his will. | Benjamin Field, 28, duped 69-year-old Peter Farquhar into a fake relationship to get him to change his will. |
| Mr Farquhar died in the Buckinghamshire village of Maids Moreton in October 2015 and Field tried to make his death look like an accident or suicide. | Mr Farquhar died in the Buckinghamshire village of Maids Moreton in October 2015 and Field tried to make his death look like an accident or suicide. |
| The Baptist minister's son was found guilty of murder at Oxford Crown Court in August. | The Baptist minister's son was found guilty of murder at Oxford Crown Court in August. |
| He was also accused of plotting to kill Mr Farquhar's neighbour Ann Moore-Martin, 83, but was found not guilty. | He was also accused of plotting to kill Mr Farquhar's neighbour Ann Moore-Martin, 83, but was found not guilty. |
| Mr Justice Sweeney said Field was a "well-practiced and able liar", adding: "I have no doubt that you are a dangerous offender." | Mr Justice Sweeney said Field was a "well-practiced and able liar", adding: "I have no doubt that you are a dangerous offender." |
| Field admitted duping both Mr Farquhar and Miss Moore-Martin into fake relationships with him as part of a plot to get them to change their wills, but denied any involvement in their deaths. | Field admitted duping both Mr Farquhar and Miss Moore-Martin into fake relationships with him as part of a plot to get them to change their wills, but denied any involvement in their deaths. |
| Miss Moore-Martin died of natural causes in May 2017. | Miss Moore-Martin died of natural causes in May 2017. |
| University lecturer Mr Farquhar and Field had undergone a "betrothal" ceremony while the trial heard Field and former headmistress Miss Moore-Martin had a sexual relationship. | University lecturer Mr Farquhar and Field had undergone a "betrothal" ceremony while the trial heard Field and former headmistress Miss Moore-Martin had a sexual relationship. |
| The court heard Field carried out a sustained "gaslighting" plot aimed at making Mr Farquhar question his sanity. | The court heard Field carried out a sustained "gaslighting" plot aimed at making Mr Farquhar question his sanity. |
| Mr Farquhar's drinks were topped up with bioethanol and poteen, a high strength Irish alcohol, and his food was laced with drugs. | Mr Farquhar's drinks were topped up with bioethanol and poteen, a high strength Irish alcohol, and his food was laced with drugs. |
| Jurors were told Field "suffocated him" when he was too weak to resist, and left a half-empty bottle of whisky in Mr Farquhar's room to create the misconception he had drunk himself to death. | Jurors were told Field "suffocated him" when he was too weak to resist, and left a half-empty bottle of whisky in Mr Farquhar's room to create the misconception he had drunk himself to death. |
| Mr Farquhar, who taught part-time at the University of Buckingham, had three novels published. | Mr Farquhar, who taught part-time at the University of Buckingham, had three novels published. |
| His third book, A Wide Wide Sea, was dedicated to Field, who delivered the eulogy at his funeral. | His third book, A Wide Wide Sea, was dedicated to Field, who delivered the eulogy at his funeral. |
| In an attempt to get Miss Moore-Martin to change her will, Field would write "messages from God" on mirrors around her home. | In an attempt to get Miss Moore-Martin to change her will, Field would write "messages from God" on mirrors around her home. |
| The deeply religious retired teacher who never married or had children, later changed her will to leave her home to Field. | The deeply religious retired teacher who never married or had children, later changed her will to leave her home to Field. |
| A consultant psychiatrist said Field "knew exactly what he was doing, in a carefully planned and orchestrated way and was in full control of his own decision making". | A consultant psychiatrist said Field "knew exactly what he was doing, in a carefully planned and orchestrated way and was in full control of his own decision making". |
| Mark Glover, of Thames Valley Police, said Field was "unlike any other criminal" he had encountered in his 31-year career. | |
| "The extent of his planning, deception and cruelty towards his victims is frankly staggering, and I do not believe he has ever shown an ounce of remorse or contrition," he said. | |
| "If he is sorry for anything it is that he got caught." | |
| Field, of Wellingborough Road, Olney, Buckinghamshire, previously pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud relating to the fake relationships and defrauding Miss Moore-Martin out of £4,000 for a car and £27,000 for a dialysis machine. He also admitted two counts of burglary. | Field, of Wellingborough Road, Olney, Buckinghamshire, previously pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud relating to the fake relationships and defrauding Miss Moore-Martin out of £4,000 for a car and £27,000 for a dialysis machine. He also admitted two counts of burglary. |
| He was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years. | He was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years. |