Benjamin Field: Ex-church warden jailed for life for murder of ...
The Crown Prosecution Service may first pursue an appeal to the Supreme Court before a retrial
www.gbnews.comHere’s the latest on Benjamin Field’s appeal status.
Short answer
- Yes. The Court of Appeal quashed Benjamin Field’s murder conviction and ordered a retrial, with prosecutors given the option to seek the Supreme Court before any retrial proceeds. This development occurred in mid-April 2026 and reflects concerns about defective jury directions in the original trial.[4][5][8]
Details and context
- Background: Benjamin Field, a former church warden, was convicted in 2019 of murdering Peter Farquhar. He had previously admitted to burglary and fraud related to manipulation of relationships with Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin. The Crown Prosecution Service later explored appealing to the Supreme Court as part of the process following the Court of Appeal ruling.[5][6][7][8]
- Court of Appeal ruling: In April 2026, three senior judges concluded that the jury directions given at Field’s trial were defective and that this defective direction undermined the fairness of the verdict. They quashed the murder conviction and ordered a retrial, while noting that Field would remain in custody while any potential Supreme Court step is considered.[8][4][5]
- Possible next steps: The CPS may appeal to the Supreme Court before any retrial, but the retrial itself is the primary new procedural step. If a retrial occurs, Field would face a new proceedings process rather than continuing the original judgment.[4][5][8]
- Public and media coverage: The decision has been reported by multiple outlets, highlighting the unusual nature of the case and the emphasis on jury direction errors rather than the underlying facts of the death. Coverage notes the retrial would be a significant shift after decades of proceedings.[3][5][8]
What this means for timelines
- Retrial focus: The court’s order centers on repeating the trial process with corrected jury directions, rather than automatically concluding Field’s guilt or innocence again in one step.
- Supreme Court question: The CPS could take the issue to the Supreme Court before any retrial, which could affect the timing or even the fate of the retrial depending on the outcome there.[8][4]
If you’d like, I can pull specific passages from the Court of Appeal judgment or summarize what the defective directions entailed, along with any noted implications for similar cases. I can also track subsequent developments if you want ongoing updates.