Missing Don Banfield 'wanted to do a Reggie Perrin'

Don Banfield worked as a betting shop manager

A man who has not been found since his disappearance in May 2001 had talked about "doing a Reggie Perrin", the Old Bailey has heard.

Kevin Banfield, 43, also said his father Don Banfield, 63, of Wealdstone, north-west London, had talked of being frightened of his wife.

Shirley Banfield, 64, and daughter Lynette Banfield, 40, of Ashford Road, Canterbury, Kent, deny murder.

They have admitted fraudulently claiming Mr Banfield's pensions.

They are accused of murdering him in May 2001 after he signed a contract for the sale of the family home, which resulted in a £120,000 profit.

Mr Banfield had recently retired from running the Hampstead branch of William Hill bookmakers when he went missing.

Kevin Banfield, an occupational therapist from Brighton, told the court his father had spoken of starting a new life.

But he said he did not know his father had taken a quarter of his private pension as a lump sum on retirement.

He recalled that on the last occasion they spoke, his father had told him he was scared of his mother and wanted to come and stay with him.

Mr Banfield refused and told the court: "I thought he was being melodramatic and he sort of cried."

'Clean slate'

He said his father had sounded really let down.

He was reported missing two weeks later.

Mr Banfield said he thought at first that his father had manufactured his disappearance to cause his mother further stress.

The court heard she had told him his father was a gambler and a womaniser.

"It would appeal to anyone, wiping the slate clean and starting again," he said.

Mr Banfield said he began to have doubts years later when his mother claimed to have been in touch with his father, but she said later she had lied to cover up fraud.

The trial continues.