BBC's The Sixth Commandment slammed by neighbours of Benjamin Field victims

20 July 2023 , 21:54

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BBC's The Sixth Commandment slammed by neighbours of Benjamin Field victims

BBC's The Sixth Commandment has come under fire from the neighbours of Benjamin Field's real-life victims who have been depicted in the drama series.

The programme has gripped viewers since it first aired on Monday with many eager to know how similar the series is to what actually happened in the quiet Buckinghamshire village.

Viewers have seen the case of Peter Farquhar, a retired English lecturer who was murdered in 2015 by Benjamin Field brought to life on screens. The show also looks into retired principal Anne Moore-Martin, who Benjamin, who at the time was 28, was accused of threatening to kill her.

He was later acquitted of the charge in his highly publicised trial but he was later found guilty of Peter's murder by a jury in August 2019. He was slapped with a sentence of 36 years behind bars.

The BBC series The Sixth Commandment has angered those who lived close to Benjamin Field's victims (BBC/Wild Mercury/Amanda Searle)

Peter who was 69 was brutally murdered by Benjamin who had manipulated the author for his own financial gain. He also attempted to make his murder look as though he had taken his own life, or an accidental death. The likes of Timothy Spall, Eanna Hardwicke and Dame Shelia Hancock all have starring roles in the series.

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However, some of those who were close to Field's victims have been left enraged by the BBC's decision to air the show across the network. One furious neighbour told MailOnline: "I knew Peter well and I am not happy with the drama. I don't want to talk about it."

While another neighbour who moved into the area shortly after the horrific murder said: "I didn’t want to watch the TV show. I think it's quite insensitive. It wasn't very long ago. I was shocked when I first saw they were going to do it… It doesn’t seem like a suitable subject, to be honest."

Benjamin Field, played by Éanna Hardwicke was jailed for 36 years for his crimes (BBC/Wild Mercury/Amanda Searle)

But while some may be outraged, others have a more relaxed attitude, with one resident saying: "I think it's good to have the drama because people should know about it," before adding that they were understanding of the viewers of their neighbours. They went on to say that the characters are "too like them," before adding that the show is "too real and close to home".

In response, a spokesperson for the BBC 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."

Daniel Bird