The Sixth Commandment murderer Ben Field pays £124,000 to scammed victims’ families

Convicted murderer Ben Field whose crimes were depicted in the BBC drama The Sixth Commandment has been made to pay £124,000 to his victims’ families.

The son of a Baptist minister, Field was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 36 years in 2019 for the murder of 69- year-old Peter Farquhar and fraud against 83- year-old Ann Moore-Martin. He will not be eligible for parole until 2055.

Field targeted the vulnerable adults in the village of Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, convincing them to change their wills with him as the main beneficiary. The flat he bought with the proceeds in Towcester, Northamptonshire has now been sold with £124,000 going to his victim’s families.

Reported by the BBC, a proceeds of crime hearing at Oxford Crown Court in June 2020 revealed that Field had received £193,921.32 from his two victims. He was ordered to pay a sum of £123,111.26 to Farquhar’s family and £23,449.76 to the family of Moore-Martin or face a 16-month extension to his 36-year minimum jail sentence.

Field was convicted of suffocating university lecturer Farquhar, making it appear as though he had died as a result of alcohol consumption, he then went on to manipulate Farquahr’s neighbour, Moore-Martin into changing her will and giving him £30,000 which he claimed he needed for a new car and a kidney dialysis machine. His vile tactics included writing messages on Moore-Martin’s mirror, which he then convinced the vulnerable pensioner had been left by God.

Following Farquhar’s murder, Field as the main beneficiary in his will received a life interest in his house and a share in the property with Farquhar’s brother Ian. He used this money to purchase a flat in Towcester, Northamptonshire.

The property has been sold with the proceeds being given to his victim’s families. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said in a statement: “The flat was sold and this money used to compensate the victims”, adding that: “Monies have been distributed as part of the agreed order to the victims in this case.”

Field was finally caught after Moore-Martin was admitted to hospital after suffering a seizure and revealed the nature of their relationship to her niece who swiftly contacted the police. An investigation was launched into Field, with his involvement in Farquhar’s death suspected.

Farquhar’s body was exhumed and a second post-mortem was carried out, leading to Field’s arrest. During the subsequent police investigation, Moore-Martin came to realise that Field had been scamming her and cut all contact with him - she died of natural causes in May 2017 at the age of 83.

Field was arrested in 2018 and charged with murder and fraud. At 28 years old he was found guilty of the murder of Farquhar in 2019 and Fraud against Moore-Martin. He was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 36 years in prison and will not be eligible for parole until 2055.