A CARER starved her millionaire landowner to death in a bid to inherit his £3.5million fortune after his body was discovered next to a bag of McDonald’s. James Sootheran, known as Anthony, 59…
A CARER starved her millionaire landowner to death in a bid to inherit his £3.5million fortune after his body was discovered next to a bag of McDonald's.
The discovery of Mr Sootheran, who owned 60 acres of land, was not initially treated as suspicious, but prosecutors urged police to investigate after Lynda Rickard, 62, was found to have used his bank account after he died. Mrs Rickard did not give evidence at a trial at Reading Crown Court but claimed the death of Mr Sootheran - described as "a recluse prone to gross self-neglect" with "complex mental health issues" - was a result of how he chose to live his life.Her husband was acquitted of murder but found guilty of the lesser charge of causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult.
He added: "The medical evidence played a vital role in this case, helping to prove that Anthony had been neglected for some time and tragically starved to death. Dunkley, of Brickle Lane, Bloxham, and Neal, of Radway Road, Lower Tysoe, Warwickshire, were found guilty of one count of fraud by false representation between January 28 and May 31 2014 after falsely claiming a will in the name of Mr Sootheran was genuine.