UK Supreme Court examines whether whisky and sedatives can constitute murder
Five justices of the UK Supreme Court are hearing arguments on whether Benjamin Field can be held legally responsible for Peter Farquhar’s death after allegedly giving him drug-spiked whisky.
The UK Supreme Court is reviewing a pivotal question in the appeal of Benjamin Field, convicted in 2019 of murdering university lecturer Peter Farquhar. Field, sentenced to at least 36 years, is contesting the legal causation of Farquhar’s death, claiming that offering whisky - even if it contained the sedative Dalmane - does not constitute a murder-worthy act. Prosecutors argue that covertly drugging Farquhar’s drink, coupled with deception about its contents, unequivocally establishes murder liability.
Field’s earlier convictions for burglary and fraud, tied to manipulating Farquhar’s and neighbour Ann Moore-Martin’s wills, remain in place. The appeal follows a Court of Appeal decision that quashed the murder conviction and ordered a retrial, allowing the CPS to seek a Supreme Court ruling. The hearing, involving five justices, is slated to finish on Tuesday, with the final judgment to be issued later.
Why it matters
The ruling will clarify how UK law treats indirect actions, like drugging a victim, as causes of death.
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