Banbury couple 'starved man to death for windfall' Published duration 23 January

image caption Lynda and Wayne Rickard are accused of the murder of Anthony Sootheran

A couple "starved" a vulnerable man to death to steal from his multimillion-pound estate, a court has heard.

Anthony Sootheran, 59, was found dead in a "foul, unhygienic cell" by a doctor at his home near Banbury, Oxfordshire, in March 2014.

Reading Crown Court heard he was starved by Lynda Rickard, who was assisted by her husband Wayne, to secure the "windfall that she craved".

Mr and Mrs Rickard, of Edinburgh Close, Banbury, deny murder and fraud.

Mrs Rickard, 61, admits stealing money from Mr Sootheran's accounts, forging his will, and doing the same for his late mother, Joy.

'Stained bed linen'

Prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said Mr Sootheran was found in a "terrible state" when visited in 2013 by Richard Stubbs, who dealt with the family's trust.

He said: "The bed linen was stained and looked like it had not been changed in months.

"A window pane was broken. In the corner, there was a pile of Anthony's hair.

"There was no television in the room. There were no books, or magazines.

"In short, it was a cell. A foul, unhygienic cell."

image copyright TVP image caption Mr Sootheran was kind but a "recluse prone to self-neglect", the court heard

He said Mrs Rickard's fraud had become "utterly routine and brazen" as she began "eyeing up a windfall" - potentially up to £3.4m - which was dependent on Mr Sootheran's death.

"In the simplest of terms, assisted by her husband, she starved him to death, thereby securing for herself and her family the windfall that she craved," Mr Saxby said on the first day of the trial.

From 2006 the couple lived at High Havens Farm, in South Newington, near Banbury, which was owned by Mr Sootheran.

image copyright TVP image caption Joy Sootheran's estate was worth about £1.5m

Mr Sootheran and his mother moved in with the Rickards in early 2008 so that Mrs Rickard could care for Mrs Sootheran.

She died in August 2012, aged 91.

Mr and Mrs Rickard were evicted from the farm following a court order in 2017.

The court heard Mr Sootheran, a successful businessman, was kind but a "recluse prone to self-neglect" after struggling with long-term mental health problems.

Mr Saxby said that background was a "perfect cover" for Mrs Rickard to steal from him after she had done the same to his mother's money and will.

When she died, Mrs Sootheran's estate was worth about £1.5m.

Under Mrs Rickard's forged will half of that would have gone to her, while the other half would have gone to Mr Sootheran.

Mr Saxby told the court Mr Rickard, 64, had claimed he "had very little to do" with Mr Sootheran before his death.

"There is an element of the 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' to his defence," Mr Saxby said.

The prosecution claims they bought a Mitsubishi Shogun 4x4, worth about £30,000, with Mrs Sootheran's money in 2010.

image caption Mr Sootheran bought High Havens Farm, where the Rickards lived from 2006

Three other people are also on trial for being witnesses to the Sootheran wills.

Michael Dunkley, 48, of Brickle Lane, Bloxham, and Denise Neal, 39, of Radway Road, Lower Tysoe, are accused of fraud.

Shanda Robinson, 50, of Sage Close, Banbury, is accused of fraud and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

June Alsford, 77, of Little Lane, Aynho, has admitted fraud and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.