"Gaslighting" Maids Moreton murderer Ben Field appeal fails

Ben Field, who was jailed for life for the murder of University of Buckingham lecturer Peter Farquhar has failed in his appeal.
Peter Farquhar, 69 and Ben Fields, 30Peter Farquhar, 69 and Ben Fields, 30
Peter Farquhar, 69 and Ben Fields, 30

"Evil" Field, 30, was convicted after a period of sustained psychological torture where he drugged and encouraged Peter Farquhar, 69, to drink until he eventually died.

The popular university lecturer and teacher had his drinks topped up with bioethanol and poteen, a high strength Irish alcohol, and his food laced with drugs by Field in the lead up to his death in 2015, prosecutors said.

Field duped Mr Farquhar into a fake relationship to get the author to change his will and make him the main beneficiary.

Mr Farquhar with injuries sustained after being drugged by FieldMr Farquhar with injuries sustained after being drugged by Field
Mr Farquhar with injuries sustained after being drugged by Field

The trial heard Field carried out a sustained "gaslighting" plot aimed at making Mr Farquhar question his sanity.

Peter died in 2016, as coroners ruled a verdict of 'acute alcohol intoxication'.

Following this Field inherited £20,000 from his will.

After Peter's death, Field then moved in with Ann Moore-Martin, who lived on the same road as Peter Farquhar in Maids Moreton.

Ann, 83, died of 'natural causes' in 2017.

Field was cleared of Ann Moore-Martin's murder but was sentenced to 36 years in prison for Peter's murder.

His barrister previously argued the conviction was "unsafe" as the trial judge misdirected the jury.

But the Court of Appeal has upheld his conviction.

Court of Appeal judges yesterday dismissed his claims the trial judge had misdirected the jury.