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Maids Moreton: 'Duped' woman, 83, 'tortured by lies' | |
(32 minutes later) | |
An elderly woman was "tortured" at learning she had been duped by a much younger man who declared his love for her, her niece told a court. | An elderly woman was "tortured" at learning she had been duped by a much younger man who declared his love for her, her niece told a court. |
Ann Moore-Martin, 83, could not believe she had been so stupid as to fall for 28-year-old Benjamin Field's lies, Oxford Crown Court heard. | Ann Moore-Martin, 83, could not believe she had been so stupid as to fall for 28-year-old Benjamin Field's lies, Oxford Crown Court heard. |
He and his friend, magician Martyn Smith, 32, deny planning to kill her in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire. | He and his friend, magician Martyn Smith, 32, deny planning to kill her in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire. |
They also deny murdering Paul Farquhar, to whom Mr Field was engaged. | They also deny murdering Paul Farquhar, to whom Mr Field was engaged. |
Church warden Mr Field had written love poems and a series of letters to Miss Moore-Martin and at one point proposed marriage, the court heard. | Church warden Mr Field had written love poems and a series of letters to Miss Moore-Martin and at one point proposed marriage, the court heard. |
He admits fraudulently being in a relationship with the retired headmistress as part of a plot to get her to change her will but denies conspiring to kill her. | He admits fraudulently being in a relationship with the retired headmistress as part of a plot to get her to change her will but denies conspiring to kill her. |
Anne-Marie Blake said her aunt realised she had been duped after being admitted to hospital having suffered a seizure in 2017. | Anne-Marie Blake said her aunt realised she had been duped after being admitted to hospital having suffered a seizure in 2017. |
She said: "She was tortured by it and found it very difficult to get her head around the betrayal. | She said: "She was tortured by it and found it very difficult to get her head around the betrayal. |
"She said to me, 'I am such an intelligent woman. How could I let this happen to myself?'" | "She said to me, 'I am such an intelligent woman. How could I let this happen to myself?'" |
Mrs Blake said she found Mr Field's manner "weird" and that he asked "is she dead?" a number of times. | Mrs Blake said she found Mr Field's manner "weird" and that he asked "is she dead?" a number of times. |
She added she did not think Miss Moore-Martin had died of natural causes. | She added she did not think Miss Moore-Martin had died of natural causes. |
She said: "She went from being very sociable and going out and doing things to being bed-bound." | She said: "She went from being very sociable and going out and doing things to being bed-bound." |
Mr Field also wrote "messages from God" to Miss Moore-Martin on the mirror at her home. | Mr Field also wrote "messages from God" to Miss Moore-Martin on the mirror at her home. |
He targeted her after murdering her neighbour Mr Farquhar, 69, with whom he had been living with and was engaged to, the prosecution said. | He targeted her after murdering her neighbour Mr Farquhar, 69, with whom he had been living with and was engaged to, the prosecution said. |
The church warden also wrote messages urging her to give him £27,000 towards the cost of a dialysis machine for his seriously ill brother, Tom, 24. | The church warden also wrote messages urging her to give him £27,000 towards the cost of a dialysis machine for his seriously ill brother, Tom, 24. |
The court also heard evidence from another potential victim of the defendants, 101-year-old Liz Zettl, who rented her annex to university student, Mr Smith. | The court also heard evidence from another potential victim of the defendants, 101-year-old Liz Zettl, who rented her annex to university student, Mr Smith. |
Both defendants are accused having a copy of her will and that she was on a list of "targets" drawn up by Mr Field. | Both defendants are accused having a copy of her will and that she was on a list of "targets" drawn up by Mr Field. |
Prosecutors allege Mr Smith had emailed himself a copy of her will and his fingerprints were found on her hard copy, kept in her home. | Prosecutors allege Mr Smith had emailed himself a copy of her will and his fingerprints were found on her hard copy, kept in her home. |
Under cross-examination, Tim Moloney QC, defending Mr Smith, suggested his client had helped Mrs Zettl re-draft her will by typing her handwritten amendments into a document on her computer. | Under cross-examination, Tim Moloney QC, defending Mr Smith, suggested his client had helped Mrs Zettl re-draft her will by typing her handwritten amendments into a document on her computer. |
"I would say it was very unlikely," she replied, citing that she had been a typist. | "I would say it was very unlikely," she replied, citing that she had been a typist. |
Mr Field and Mr Smith deny murder, conspiracy to murder and possession of an article for use in fraud. | Mr Field and Mr Smith deny murder, conspiracy to murder and possession of an article for use in fraud. |
Mr Field, of Wellingborough Road, Olney, Buckinghamshire, also denies an alternative charge of attempted murder. He has admitted four charges of fraud and two of burglary. | Mr Field, of Wellingborough Road, Olney, Buckinghamshire, also denies an alternative charge of attempted murder. He has admitted four charges of fraud and two of burglary. |
Mr Smith, of Penhalvean, Redruth, Cornwall, also denies two charges of fraud and one of burglary. | Mr Smith, of Penhalvean, Redruth, Cornwall, also denies two charges of fraud and one of burglary. |
Tom Field, also of Wellingborough Road, Olney, denies a single charge of fraud. | Tom Field, also of Wellingborough Road, Olney, denies a single charge of fraud. |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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