R v Field (Respondent)

Case summary

Case ID

UKSC/2026/0062

Parties

Appellant(s)

Rex

Respondent(s)

Benjamin F Field

Issue

Were the directions given to the jury by the trial judge in this case right in law? Did the Court of Appeal correctly understand and apply R v Kennedy (No 2) [2007] UKHL 38, and should the Supreme Court reconsider that decision?

Facts

Benjamin Field was convicted at trial of the murder of Peter Farquhar. Mr Farquhar was 69 years old when he was found deceased by his cleaner on the sofa at his home address on the morning of 26 October 2015. He appeared to have drunk himself to death. The evidence was that death was probably caused by the ingestion of Dalmane (a medically prescribed sedative) and whisky. The prosecution alleged that Mr Field carried out the murder of Mr Farquhar by physically giving him alcohol and/or Dalmane and/or by smothering him. Mr Field had pretended to be in a genuine and caring relationship with Mr Farquhar. Mr Farquhar was persuaded to change his will so that Mr Field would receive a large inheritance. Mr Field appealed to the Court of Appeal which upheld his murder conviction. Mr Field then applied to reopen the determination of his appeal against his conviction for murder. The Court of Appeal refused this application. On 28 August 2025, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (“CCRC”) referred the case to the Court of Appeal. The CCRC referred the conviction on the ground that the jury were misdirected in relation to causation as regards the death of Mr Farquhar. The Court of Appeal quashed Mr Field’s murder conviction and granted the prosecution leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Date of issue

20 May 2026

Case origin

Appeal As of Right

Appeal

Hearing dates and panels are subject to change

Hearing dates

Start date

13 October 2026

End date

13 October 2026

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