Stepson of hotelier is accused of his murder
THE stepson of a hotelier who was worth £300milllion has been charged with his murder and will appear in court this morning.
Sir Richard Sutton, 83, was stabbed at his rural mansion last Wednesday, along with his partner Anne, 65, who was last night still in a critical condition in hospital.
Her son Thomas Schreiber, 34, has been charged with murder, attempted murder and dangerous driving and is due to appear at Poole Magistrates’ Court.
Dorset Police said they first received a report raising concerns about the welfare of the occupants of a house in Higher Langham, near Gillingham, at 7.30pm on April 7.
When officers got to the home they found Sir Richard and Anne, both with serious injuries.
The ambulance service also attended and Sir Richard was pronounced dead at the scene at around 9.15pm. An initial post-mortem examination conducted on Friday indicated that the cause of death was stab wounds to his chest.
Anne was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol where she remains.
Following enquiries, her son, also from the Gillingham area, was arrested on suspicion of murder in Hammersmith, London, on the evening of April 7.
He was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, and was subsequently taken into police custody on his release from hospital.
The couple’s other relatives are being kept fully updated by police.
Det Insp Simon Huxter, of Dorset Police Forces’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts remain with the victims’ family and all of those affected by this terrible incident.
“Following a detailed investigation, we have consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service. As a result, Dorset Police have been authorised to formally charge Thomas Schreiber with the murder of Sir Richard, attempted murder of the injured woman and dangerous driving.
“It is important to stress that it would be entirely inappropriate for Dorset Police to comment further ahead of the trial. It is vital that the criminal justice system is allowed to follow its course.
“I would like to remind the public that this matter is now the subject of active court proceedings and the individual charged in connection with this investigation has a right to a fair trial.
“It is important that there should be no commentary or sharing of information online or on social media that could potentially prejudice these proceedings.”