'Starved' millionaire's bedroom was 'filthy' cousin tells jury

Anthony Sootheran died after being "deprived of food and drink", the court previously heard

The bedroom of a millionaire who prosecutors allege was starved to death was "filthy" and had "mouse droppings everywhere", a court heard.

Anthony Sootheran's body was found at High Havens Farm, near South Newington, Oxfordshire, in March 2014.

His cousin Richard Stubbs told a jury Mr Sootheran looked "pretty awful" when he visited him in October 2013.

Lynda and Wayne Rickard, both from Banbury, deny a charge of murder at Reading Crown Court.

Prosecutors previously said Mr Sootheran was a "recluse" and relied for care on Mrs Rickard, 62, who they say killed him to satisfy her "brazen greed".

Oliver Saxby QC, prosecuting, said Mrs Rickard "isolated, utterly neglected and controlled" the 59-year-old and deprived him of food and drink as part of a plan to steal his fortune.

Lynda and Wayne Rickard are accused of murdering their wealthy landlord

Giving evidence earlier, Mr Stubbs said he visited Mr Sootheran on two occasions regarding matters to do with the "family trust" set up by his great-grandfather.

The court heard on his second visit to Mr Sootheran's £3.5m estate in October 2013, Mr Stubbs was greeted by Mrs Rickard before he went up to his cousin's room.

"His room was in a terrible state," Mr Stubbs told the court.

"It was filthy dirty. The bed linen looked like it was very, very old. There was empty food cartons. There was mouse droppings everywhere.

"There was a pile of cut hair on the floor."

Mr Stubbs, who lives in Dorset, said a pane of glass in the window was "shattered" and that Mr Sootheran appeared not to have any clothes other than what he was wearing.

"He looked pretty awful," he added. "He kept saying to me he felt faint."

The court previously hearing Mr Sootheran was found dead by a visiting doctor on 18 March 2014 at High Havens Farm, where he lived with the Rickards, who were his tenants.

A health expert said he ate little food in the three weeks before his death and would have survived if he had been medically treated.

(Left to right) Denise Neal, Shanda Robinson and Michael Dunkley deny fraudulently signing forged wills

Mrs Rickard has admitted forging wills in the names of both Mr Sootheran and his deceased mother, Joy, as well as spending tens of thousands of pounds of their money, the jury has heard.

She denies gross negligence manslaughter, while her husband, 66, denies causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult, as alternatives to the murder charge.

They both deny fraudulently using Joy Sootheran's money to buy a Mitsubishi Shogun car.

Three of Mrs Rickard's friends, Shanda Robinson, 51, and Michael Dunkley, 49, from Banbury, and Denise Neal, 41, from Lower Tysoe, Warwickshire, deny fraudulently signing wills. However, another friend, June Alsford, 78, from Aynho, Northamptonshire, has admitted the charge.

Mr Rickard denies perverting the course of justice by attempting to pass off a will as genuine while Ms Robinson denies conspiring to do the same.

The trial continues.