The Sixth Commandment – The Murder of a Respected University Lecturer Is Now a Searing Series on BritBox

Elderly people are prime targets for tricksters. Because so many experience loneliness after the death of a spouse, family member, or friend, they may fall for scrupulous individuals who lure them into relationships for financial gain. 

On the surface, Peter Farquhar, a noted British lecturer and author, seems unlikely to be duped by someone out to do him harm. But Farquhar, a closeted homosexual, is ripe for the picking by one of his students, the sexy, attractive Ben Field. Soon, Ben moves into Peter’s house and convinces him to change his will. When Peter becomes forgetful, falls ill, and then dies, apparently from alcohol poisoning, no one suspects Ben is behind what’s happened. 

Amanda Root as Sue Farquhar and Adrian Rawlings as Ian Farquhar

More than a year passes. Peter’s brother, Ian, and his wife, Sue, have moved on, but continue to mourn their loss. Ben, too, has moved on – to his next victim, Peter’s neighbor, Ann-Moore Blake. Like Peter, Ann-Moore is alone, having never married. Her closest relative, niece Ann-Marie, visits often, but has a husband and two children. Ann-Moore is drawn in by Ben’s attention – he’s constantly writing her poems – so much so that when he proposes, she believes he’s truly in love with her, despite their 57 year age gap. 

Éanna Hardwicke as Ben Field

Religion figures prominently in Ben’s plans, using his position as a PhD student and churchwarden to create common ground. He wears a cross, quotes scripture, even, on one occasion, delivers a homily to the congregation from a pulpit. Peter is a loyal church goer, but because of his homosexuality never feels he truly belongs. Ben makes him feel accepted, With Ann, a devout Christian, “messages from God” appear on her mirrors, reinforcing what she’s being told by Ben. 

Unlike Ian, who actually thanks Ben for taking such good care of Peter, Ann-Marie is suspicious about Ben from the start, that feeling only growing when she learns her aunt has changed her will.  Waking in the middle of the night, Ann-Marie goes to her aunt’s house, finding Ann-Moore unconscious. She never recovers from her injuries. Ann-Marie suspects that Ben has been drugging her aunt, explaining her fall and head injury. Blood tests, however, are inconclusive. Ann-Marie, however, won’t give up and voices her suspicions to a police officer, DS Natalie Golding. When Ann-Marie mentions the similarities with Peter’s death, Golding opens an investigation. 

Éanna Hardwicke as Ben Field and Anne Reid as Ann-Moore-Martin

After speaking with Peter’s brother and sister-in-law, Golding and lead investigator DCI Mark Glover, begin to see a pattern. Thinking back on Peter’s death, Ian admits he was always confused about his brother having a drinking problem, something that was brought up by Ben. Probably because of alcoholism in their family, Ian and Peter made a vow not to drink, something they continued to honor. But Ian was so convinced by Ben that Peter’s drinking was dangerous, that he agreed to take away any wine or liquor in the house.

Along with Ben, the investigators focus on Ben’s friend, Martyn, who is now living with another elderly woman, Liz Zetti. The next target? The evidence collected is mostly circumstantial, including Ben’s notebooks, where he writes about what he is doing to Peter. Ben pleads guilty to fraud and drugging Peter, but not murder. Without a smoking gun, the prosecutor, Queen’s counsel David Jeremy, must bring his A game when cross-examining Ben in order to guarantee a conviction. The courtroom scenes are riveting. 

Éanna Hardwicke as Ben Field and Timothy Spall as Peter Farquhar

The Sixth Commandment is not always easy to watch. It’s heartbreaking to watch elderly people manipulated because of their vulnerabilities. The superb acting by Timothy Spall as Farquhar and Anne Reid as Ann-Moore-Martin makes these scenes particularly emotional. And knowing that this is a true story, that Farquhar and Reid actually died because of Ben’s evil plan, delivers a devastating blow.

Éanna Hardwicke’s performance as Ben is stunning. His rugged good looks belie the evil within. It’s easy to see how Peter and then Ann-Moore could fall in love with him. But it’s also easy to see how others not pulled in by his good looks see his treachery. In court, he shows no remorse, admitting that he tortured Peter just because he could. It’s chilling.

James Harkness as DS Richard Earl, Anna Crilly as Natalie Golding and Jonathan Aris as DCI Mark Glover

The supporting cast is excellent, particularly Annabel Scholes as the loyal niece Ann-Marie, Adrian Rawlins, as Peter’s brother, Ian, and Amanda Root as Ian’s wife, Sue. Conor McNeill as Ben’s hapless collaborator, Martyn, seems as trapped in his friend’s web as the elderly people being targeted. The two investigators, Anna Crilly as Golding and Jonathan Aris as Glover, are solid. A standout is Peter Sullivan as the prosecutor who meets his match in Ben and wins hands down.

Peter Farquhar’s murder in 2015 and the subsequent trial dominated headlines across the pond. The four-part British true-life crime drama, written by Sarah Phelps and directed by Saul Dibb, focuses on crimes against the elderly that deserve more attention than they now receive.

The Sixth Commandment is now streaming on BritBox.

Photos courtesy of BBC