Maids Moreton murders: Church warden accused of killing pensioners described himself as ‘sociopath’

‘My role is to ensure he dies a good death...I am finding more joy in life now than ever before’

A church warden described himself as a sociopath who had “snaketalked” his way into the home of a university lecturer he is accused of murdering, a court has heard.

Benjamin Field, 28, is on trial with magician Martyn Smith, 32, charged with murdering Peter Farquhar, 69, and planning to kill his elderly neighbour Ann Moore-Martin, 83, following a sustained campaign of “gaslighting”.

Mr Farquhar died in October 2015, while Ms Moore-Martin, a retired teacher, died in May 2017.

Oxford Crown Court heard that Mr Field, the son of a Baptist minister, told a friend he had a “struck a deal” to live with Mr Farquhar, a novelist and former English teacher, at his home in the village of Maids Moreton in Buckinghamshire.

Oliver Saxby QC, prosecuting, read extracts of chat logs recovered by police from Mr Field’s laptop in which he used the name “StAbleMan” and chatted to someone known as “the Big Unikitty”.

In the logs, Mr Field said he was living with Mr Farquhar, who was gay, while also in a relationship with work colleague Nina Eriksen-Grey and having sex with other women.

Describing how he showed Mr Farquhar a game he had downloaded online, he wrote: “The old man I live with was f****** baffled out of his noggin but wanted to act like he was hip 2 our intellectual hauteur.

“So was all like ‘yes, yes, exquisite allusions’. Faggot. Bless him.”

The friend asked Mr Field whether he was “still in his company” and “does he want 2 bonk u just as bad”.

He replied: “Yeah. He and I have struck a deal which is I pay for nothing and will hang out w/ him until his eventual death win/win. Not that the endgame isn’t going to suck balls.

“But hey, I’m p. comfortable w/ death. No I mean ‘be horrible’. He’s going to die an alcoholics death (because he is an alcoholic).

“My role is to ensure he dies a good death, not to sustain his life or end mine. I am finding more joy in life now than ever before in my swift 23 years.”

The jury heard that Mr Field’s life was getting complicated as he juggled living with Mr Farquhar while also seeing Ms Eriksen-Grey, who he described as “milfgf”.

“Old man does not know, and never will know, about milfgf,” he wrote.

“Not because he and I are a *couple* but simply because a) not his business b) hurt his feelings c) milfgf is not that serious so in a sense – an important sense – I am cheating on an old man with milfgf.

“Worst case scenario: you keep finger forking and diddle-porking her until it all goes h-bomb and f**** you off into the ocean and the ability to charm, frig, and remain covert will remain w/ u while all sense of self and hope are extinguished and you will be able to snaketalk your way into an old man’s house like a sociopath.

“In all honesty me and my brother used to talk to each other ‘are you on manoeuvres’ or say ‘I’m on manoeuvres today’, which just meant ‘I’m up to something, something devious is afoot’ and remaining on constant manoeuvres is my greatest thrill and companion although it is somewhat isolating, so there is that to consider.

“I’m going to become a vicar and shit just because I can outmanoeuvre the church but I guess that’s both a complex and facile life.”

Mr Field and Mr Smith deny murder, conspiracy to murder and possession of an article for the 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 Smith, of Penhalvean, Redruth, Cornwall, denies two charges of fraud and one of burglary.

Mr Field’s younger brother, Cambridge University graduate Tom Field, 24, of Wellingborough Road, Olney, is also on trial accused of a single charge of fraud.

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.

PA