RESIDENTS whose neighbour was killed by his fake lover say a BBC drama inspired by the murder is in bad taste.
The Sixth Commandment is based on the deaths of pensioners Peter Farquar and Ann Moore-Martin in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire.
Starting on Monday, the drama told how psychopath Ben Field, 20, conned Peter and Ann out of more than £225,000.
Field went through a "betrothal ceremony" with gay teacher Peter before suffocating him in 2015.
To make it look like the lonely bachelor had drunk himself to death, he placed a half bottle of whisky by his side.
The student was also grooming Ann, who lived three doors away, and began a relationship with her before she died two years later aged 83.
Read More TV
Rachel Riley breaks silence amid marriage struggles with Pasha Kovalev
Richard and Judy’s daughter Chloe Madeley reveals all about brand new TV show
Although he was also charged with murdering her, a jury acquitted him.
Now residents in the village are fuming over the BBC's "poor taste" to use the "tragic deaths" as material for The Sixth Commandment.
Maid Moreton Parish Council said: "Wild Mercury and True Vision have made a 4-part series for there BBC telling the story of the events that led up to the tragic deaths of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin.
"We declined to engage with them as it seemed premature and in poor taste.
Most read in TV
Patsy Kensit scraps fifth marriage to tycoon after she was seen 'distressed'
The Chase’s Mark Labbett wants to join show on rival channel, says lover
TV star's lover is divorcing wife after bombshell five-year affair was exposed
Holly's future on This Morning revealed as she 'makes huge decision'
"The series is likely to air on the BBC in mid-July.
"We have been informed that whilst the series shows brief images of the real Maids Moreton, including the village sign, it does to feature the houses where Peter or Ann lived – not any other homes in the village."
Down at the village’s 17th century Wheatsheaf pub, few regulars knew anything of Peter and Ann.
One said: "They were church people rather than pub people.
"But we live in a very sad world when this can happen. You have to be a bit crazy.
"Everybody is talking about the TV series. It wasn’t filmed in the village – I think it was in Bath or Bristol.
He added: "But from what I’ve seen so far it’s very well done."
"Some people, though, are very sore that the story is being dredged up again.
"They feel that things like this are perhaps better forgotten."
Another neighbour Becky Goodwin, 32, said: "I’ve only lived here two months so knew nothing of all this.
"It’s not the sort of thing you expect to happen in a quiet little village like this. But, of course, I’ll be watching the TV series."
A third resident said: "It was too close to home, I'm sorry."
For one elderly man, who asked not to be identified, the drama brought back even more chilling memories.
As he stood at his front door just a stone's throw from Peter's former house, he claimed: "I suspect I might also have been on Field's list of potential victims. So perhaps I had a lucky escape.
"I used to see him around Peter's house and he tried to be very chatty. But there was something about him that never seemed quite right.
"So I always refused to engage with him. Now I feel guilty that I didn't flag up my suspicions. That might possibly have saved two lives.
"As for the TV series, I've only seen the first episode so far. But it's a very accurate picture of what happened. Field was an evil person."
Read More on The Sun
Kate Ferdinand shares sweet new snap of baby girl Shae
Woman with 28GG boobs says she’s found the perfect bra – it’s a total bargain too
A BBC spokesperson said: "The series was made in full cooperation with members of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin’s families who viewed the episodes ahead of transmission and are fully supportive of the series.
"Filming took place in and around Bristol and Bath. Production did not film in Maids Moreton apart from a few establishing shots."
Source: Read Full Article
