Murder accused church warden pretended to be Christian to aid fraud, court told

PhD student Benjamin Field is accused of systematically targeting elderly and vulnerable people in order to become the beneficiary of their wills.

The son of a Baptist minister, Field is on trial alongside Martyn Smith, 32, for the murder of Peter Farquhar, 69, and conspiring to murder retired headmistress Ann Moore-Martin, 83.

Also in the dock is Field’s brother Tom, 24 – a Cambridge University graduate – who faces a single charge of fraud relating to Ms Moore-Martin.

Field admits deceiving Mr Farquhar and Miss Moore-Martin, who were neighbours in the village of Maids Moreton in Buckinghamshire, into believing he was in a relationship with them both.

During cross-examination at Oxford Crown Court on Monday, Field admitted that he is not a Christian and had only put on a performance of being religious to help his fraud.

Oliver Saxby QC, prosecuting, asked Field if he had only become a church warden in order to meet elderly people he could defraud.

Field replied: “My motivation in going to church was about manipulating Peter.”

Mr Saxby asked: “What faith promotes defrauding the elderly? Do you have any faith at all?”

“I believe in the idea of proof. I believe in the idea of some kind of a light in us. I wouldn’t get more dogmatic than that,” the defendant replied.

Mr Saxby said: “(Church) was a way of meeting potential targets. It’s as simple as that.”

Field…