The recent BBC One mini-series “The Sixth Commandment” brought back to light the crimes committed by Churchwarden Ben Field and his friend Martyn Smith. The duo befriended, gaslit, and then Ben Field killed two people in the Maids Moreton case in Buckinghamshire.
Recently, the BBC One mini-series with Peter Farquar as one of the victims and with Eanna Hardwicke as Ben Field brought interest in what had become of each of these characters. So, let’s put the life of Martyn Smith and learn what had become of him after the trial and conviction of his buddy Field after the Maids Moreton murders.
Who Is Martyn Smith?
Martyn Smith was born in Cornwall; he befriended Ben Field, the churchwarden involved in the crimes, and was a student with Field to Peter Farquhar at the prestigious University of Buckingham. When Ben Field plotted to gaslight Peter Farquhar, Smith was on it too. The duo duped the University of Buckingham professor into moving in with him.
But that didn’t stop there because the duo found that the grift was good, and they decided to milk even further that cow with another conman stunt by doing the same to Ann Moore-Martin, and after that, they tried to do it with Liz Zetti.
The grift that Smith and Field kicked off wasn’t limited to just shacking up with some old dude or lady. Field gaslit Farquhar into changing his last will and testament and leaving him his estate, a con from which Smith also took profit, netting over £10K from that. In his defense, Martyn Smith claims he had no idea —still, he took the cash.
What Were The Maids Moreton Murders?
Ben Field was the son of a Baptist minister’s son who was unemployed and worked without pay as a churchwarden at the Stowe Parish Church, a congregation that welcomed him with open arms. From there, he became a deputy churchwarden and wanted to rise all the way to the vicar.
He played his part, he seemed on the surface as a devout worshipper, but he was playing Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin into giving him money and eventually gaslighting them into changing their wills to put him in it and get the estate money.
Fields, in a shocking turn of events, deceitfully conspired with his close associate, Martyn Smith, to scam these unsuspecting individuals. However, tragedy struck when Fields committed the unimaginable act of taking the life of esteemed author and professor Peter Farquhar.
Subsequently charged and found guilty, Fields received a harsh punishment of life imprisonment for this heinous crime. It is worth noting that Fields also made an attempt on the life of Ann Moore-Martin, further solidifying the extent of his malevolence.
Fields laced with alcohol and drugs were the foods and drinks consumed by Peter Farquhar who eventually tried to do the same with Ann Moore-Martin. Apparently, according to the prosecutors and cops, he did it with the help of Martyn Smith.
What Happened To Martyn Smith?
But what happened to his partner in crime, Martyn Smith? Martyn, a magician, and co-conspirator, had been living with Field and Farquhar, posing as a lodger in the deceased University of Buckingham’s professor and author’s home. However, Martyn’s involvement in the crimes did not go unnoticed.
Martyn Smith was not only charged with killing Peter Farquhar and attempting to kill Ann Moore-Martin, but he also had to face the judicial system for charges related to fraud and burglary. However, despite the gravity of these accusations, Martyn was ultimately found not guilty on all counts.
After the trial, Martyn claimed that he was in need of help and actively sought support. Since then, he has chosen to keep a low profile and has not been very visible in the media. The only reason his name has resurfaced in the internet sphere is due to the airing of BBC One’s miniseries “The Sixth Commandment.” Otherwise, Martyn would remain a relatively unknown individual.
Also Read: The Sixth Commandment Episode 1: Release Date, Preview & Streaming Guide
