Murderer challenges conviction

A FORMER church warden serving a life sentence for murdering a university lecturer has launched another bid to challenge his conviction.

Benjamin Field, 31, was convicted of killing Peter Farquhar, 69, in order to inherit his house and money after driving him to think he was losing his mind.

The prosecution case at his trial was that Field secretly gave Mr Farquhar drugs and spiked his whisky, hoping his eventual death would look like suicide or an accident.

Flawed

Field, of Olney, Buckinghamshire, was ordered to serve at least 36 years behind bars in October 2019 after being convicted at Oxford Crown Court.

Last year the Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge against his conviction and he was refused permission to take his case to the Supreme Court.

His lawyers are now attempting to reopen the appeal, arguing the first Court of Appeal’s judgment was flawed.

Yesterday in London, DameVictoria Sharp, who heard the petition to reopen the case with two other judges, said they will give their ruling at a later date.