A murderer who conned two elderly people into changing their wills before killing one of them has finally paid the families of the victims after selling a flat bought with his ill-gotten gains.
Ben Field - whose crimes were dramatised in BBC drama The Sixth Commandment - killed Peter Farquhar, 69, and convinced Ann Moore-Martin, 83, to make him a benefactor of their wills before killing Mr Farquhar in the village of Maids Moreton in October 2015.
He was given a life sentence for the killing of Farquhar but was acquitted of plotting to murder Ms Moore-Martin. Nonetheless, he admitted a charge of defrauding her.
Advert
The court heard that Field had suffocated Mr Farquhar, and then made it appears as though he had died as a result of alcohol consumption. This view of his death was backed up by an inquest.
After Farquhar's death, Field went on to manipulate Ms Moore-Martin into changing her will to make him a beneficiary, taking advantage of her loneliness.
In addition to changing her will she also gave him £30,000 which he claimed that he needed for a new car and for a kidney dialysis machine for his younger brother.
Advert
Ms Moore-Martin suffered a seizure in 2017 and while recovering in hospital confided her relationship with Field to her niece Anne-Marie Blake.
Ms Blake confronted Field at her aunt's home, reportedly asking him: "Have you been taking things from my aunt's house? Have you been accepting money from my aunt? Have you been trying to change my aunt's will?"
When Field answered 'yes', she alerted the police, who were able to uncover a link between Field, Moore-Martin, and Farquhar.
Advert
After the connection was established, Farquhar's body was exhumed and a second post-mortem carried out. In the wake of this examination, Field was arrested.
Ms Moore-Martin changed her will again to benefit her family. However Farquhar had also changed his will making Field a main beneficiary. This included a life interest in his house and a share in the property with Farquhar's brother Ian.
He used this ill-gotten money to purchase a flat in Towcester.
This has now been sold following a proceeds of crime hearing in 2020, with Field now having paid £124,000 to the victim's families.
Advert
Field was given a life sentence after being found guilty of the murder of Farquhar, and given a minimum term of 36 years in prison. He was 28 years old when he received the sentence.
He carried out a campaign of manipulation against both Mr Farquhar and Ms Moore-Martin. This included writing writing messages on her bathroom mirror saying 'Ben needs prayer and he loves you', and then convincing her that they had been left by God.
His horrendous crimes have now been dramatised in the ITV series Sixth Commandment, starring Éanna Hardwicke, Timothy Spall and Anne Reid.
Kit Roberts