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| Murder accused ‘showed no grief over man’s death’ | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A church warden on trial for the murder of a man he befriended showed “no grief or emotion” after his death, a court has heard. | A church warden on trial for the murder of a man he befriended showed “no grief or emotion” after his death, a court has heard. |
| Benjamin Field, 28, is accused of suffocating Peter Farquhar, 69, at his house in the village of Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, and the attempted murder of Ann Moore-Martin, 83. | Benjamin Field, 28, is accused of suffocating Peter Farquhar, 69, at his house in the village of Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, and the attempted murder of Ann Moore-Martin, 83. |
| Farquhar’s brother, Ian, told Oxford crown court on Wednesday that Field had seemed strangely unaffected on the morning Peter’s body was found by his cleaner. | Farquhar’s brother, Ian, told Oxford crown court on Wednesday that Field had seemed strangely unaffected on the morning Peter’s body was found by his cleaner. |
| “I felt that, in retrospect, this was not the response of somebody who had just lost a good, close friend, which was my understanding of the relationship,” he said. | “I felt that, in retrospect, this was not the response of somebody who had just lost a good, close friend, which was my understanding of the relationship,” he said. |
| Field has admitted moving things around in the retired teacher and part-time lecturer’s home to make him believe he was losing his sanity and secretly administering hallucinogenic drugs to him. | Field has admitted moving things around in the retired teacher and part-time lecturer’s home to make him believe he was losing his sanity and secretly administering hallucinogenic drugs to him. |
| Ian Farquhar, 68, who was close to his brother but saw him infrequently, said he had learned of his death in a phone call from Field. | Ian Farquhar, 68, who was close to his brother but saw him infrequently, said he had learned of his death in a phone call from Field. |
| Farquhar’s family also learned of his apparent illness about six months before his death through a phone call from Field and a vicar at the church they attended. | Farquhar’s family also learned of his apparent illness about six months before his death through a phone call from Field and a vicar at the church they attended. |
| Ian Farquhar said he had initially believed his brother’s problems had been caused by a longstanding urinary infection but Field had tried to diagnose him with a rare cancer. A neurologist later advised that Farquhar should stop drinking alcohol. | Ian Farquhar said he had initially believed his brother’s problems had been caused by a longstanding urinary infection but Field had tried to diagnose him with a rare cancer. A neurologist later advised that Farquhar should stop drinking alcohol. |
| The court heard that, before his death, Field had been living with and sharing a bed with Farquhar, although he had told Ian Farquhar he was not homosexual but wanted to “love and care” for his brother. | The court heard that, before his death, Field had been living with and sharing a bed with Farquhar, although he had told Ian Farquhar he was not homosexual but wanted to “love and care” for his brother. |
| Ian Farquhar said he had been aware of his brother’s homosexuality, which Peter Farquhar “struggled with because he was also a committed Christian”. | Ian Farquhar said he had been aware of his brother’s homosexuality, which Peter Farquhar “struggled with because he was also a committed Christian”. |
| He added that his brother’s deteriorating condition affected him both physically and mentally. He had been taken to hospital twice as a result of falling down the stairs and was also “beginning to think he’d lost his mind”. | He added that his brother’s deteriorating condition affected him both physically and mentally. He had been taken to hospital twice as a result of falling down the stairs and was also “beginning to think he’d lost his mind”. |
| Robert Wilson, a retired schoolteacher who had been a close friend of Peter Farquhar’s, described him as lonely and said he would often confide in him about his sexuality and emotional problems. | Robert Wilson, a retired schoolteacher who had been a close friend of Peter Farquhar’s, described him as lonely and said he would often confide in him about his sexuality and emotional problems. |
| The lead prosecutor, Oliver Saxby QC, said Wilson’s name had been on a list written by Field entitled “100 clients”, which also included the names of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin. | The lead prosecutor, Oliver Saxby QC, said Wilson’s name had been on a list written by Field entitled “100 clients”, which also included the names of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin. |
| Wilson described Farquhar as a steady drinker but said he “never saw him drunk”. He said in the months before his death, Farquhar had told him: “I sleepwalk and I get up and I move things around. I don’t remember it at all but the boys, they find these things.” | Wilson described Farquhar as a steady drinker but said he “never saw him drunk”. He said in the months before his death, Farquhar had told him: “I sleepwalk and I get up and I move things around. I don’t remember it at all but the boys, they find these things.” |
| Wilson described Field as arrogant and said two small gifts – of studio pots, which he collected – “reinforced my sense he was a very strange young man. I didn’t know what to make of them.” | Wilson described Field as arrogant and said two small gifts – of studio pots, which he collected – “reinforced my sense he was a very strange young man. I didn’t know what to make of them.” |
| At a coroner’s inquest, Farquhar’s death was recorded as caused by alcoholism. | At a coroner’s inquest, Farquhar’s death was recorded as caused by alcoholism. |
| The court also heard evidence from Field’s former girlfriend Nina Eriksen-Grey, who said in relation to Farquhar, he “only spoke about Peter’s drinking”. | The court also heard evidence from Field’s former girlfriend Nina Eriksen-Grey, who said in relation to Farquhar, he “only spoke about Peter’s drinking”. |
| Field’s younger brother Tom Field is also a defendant and has been charged with one count of fraud. He and his brother are alleged to have deceived Moore-Martin into handing over £27,000 for a kidney dialysis machine on the false premise that the 24-year-old needed it to survive. | Field’s younger brother Tom Field is also a defendant and has been charged with one count of fraud. He and his brother are alleged to have deceived Moore-Martin into handing over £27,000 for a kidney dialysis machine on the false premise that the 24-year-old needed it to survive. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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