Awards given to officers after conviction of Banbury woman who starved South Newington man to death

The investigation into Anthony Sootheran’s murder in South Newington in 2021 by Lynne Rickard of Edinburgh Way, Banbury was ‘a vastly complex case, which saw over 20,000 pages of evidence from over 20 years, and witnesses scattered all over the country’.

Mr Sootheran was isolated, controlled and defrauded before his death. The court case can be seen here.

The investigation, which was given the operation name Navigator, could not rely on CCTV or phone messages as that sort of evidence was just not available. It required detailed handwriting analysis and forensic interrogation of financial accounts and medical records in order to find the evidence that Lynda Rickard had defrauded and forged the wills of the Anthony Sootheran and his mother Joy, and then deliberately starved Anthony Sootheran to death.

On June 1, 2021 Linba Rickard, aged 62 was sentenced to life with a minimum of 28 years after she was convicted of the murder of James Anthony Sootheran.

Her husband, 66-year-old Wayne Rickard, also of Edinburgh Way, Banbury, was found guilty of causing/allowing the death of a vulnerable adult and was jailed for 10 years and six months. He was cleared of murder.

In a statement, Thames Valley Police (TVP) said Lynda Rickard killed Anthony by starving him to death so that she, and others, could benefit from his estate. She also defrauded him while he was alive, and defrauded Joy Sootheran.

The conviction and sentence was the culmination of four years of investigation by officers and staff from Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit (MCU), with support from the Economic Crime Unit. A chartered accountant who was seconded to the force to assist the investigation with expertise supported these teams, and key roles were played by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviewing lawyer and the junior prosecuting counsel.

Last Wednesday, officers, staff and others who helped convict a Lynda Rickard were rewarded with commendations by Chief Constable Jason Hogg.

Chief Constable’s Commendations were given to: senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Andy Howard, case investigator Rebecca Wingrove-North, disclosure officer Andy Nicklin, intelligence analyst Portia Butterfield, Holmes Manager Kevin McGuire, MCU Holmes team member Wendy Wheeler, Chartered accountant Louise Church (seconded to TVP to provide expert knowledge) and Crown Prosecution Service reviewing lawyer Robbie Weber.

A posthumous commendation was also given to MCU Holmes supervisor Lorraine White, who sadly died after the investigation had concluded.

Holmes is the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System.

Commendations were also given to one other TVP staff member who managed Holmes activity for the case and one was also given to the Junior Prosecuting Counsel.

A higher Chief Constable’s commendation was also given to a Detective Constable who was the officer in the case and who undertook the majority of the enquiries during the four years that the investigation was running. Her role in bringing justice to the family of Anthony and Joy Sootheran was absolutely crucial.

Disclosure officer Andy Nicklin said: “I am pleased to have played a part in this complex and historic investigation, to ensure justice was done.”

Mr Weber said: “I am truly grateful and honoured to receive a commendation together with the first class investigative team that delivered justice in this exceptional case.

“The hours of painstaking work they put in over a four period to gather evidence, support the victims’ loved ones and to put this case before the courts so that we could achieve justice for the family of Anthony and Joy Sootheran, is truly remarkable.

“In particular, the work of the Detective Constable who was the officer in the case was truly exemplary and is one of the finest examples of detective work I have seen in almost 25 years as a police officer.

“We also would not have been able to achieve this result without the support of the Crown Prosecution Service and legal counsel in the case.”

“This was a very disturbing, wicked case where a man was starved to death simply for greed.

“My thoughts remain with the family of Anthony and Joy Sootheran and I would again thank them for the trust they showed in the investigation team.”

• Lynda Rickard’s intention was to inherit Anthony’s valuable estate which was valued at approximately £3.5 million. Mr Sootheran paid Lynda Rickard £47,000 a year to provide care to his mother Joy who was elderly and in failing health. In return for Lynda providing food and laundry for Anthony, he agreed that the Rickard’s could live at the farm rent-free.

• Unbeknown to both Anthony and Joy, Lynda Rickard was defrauding both of them by accessing their bank accounts and spending their money, and also forging their wills to her and Wayne’s benefit. This activity took place both before and after Joy’s death in 2012 and Anthony’s death in 2014.

  As well as convicting the Rickards of Anthony’s unlawful killing the jury also found them both guilty of fraud relating to the purchase of a £33,000 Mitsubishi Shogun vehicle with Joy’s money in 2010.

  Lynda Rickard had already pleaded guilty to a number of offences in January 2020 including four counts of fraud, two counts of forgery, and a count each of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, perverting the course of justice, and possession of articles for use in fraud.

  These related to the forging of Anthony and Joy’s wills, trying to pass the wills off as genuine in court proceedings, fraudulently spending their money, and also fraudulent tenancy agreements for High Havens Farm.

• Three other defendants involved in the trial were also convicted for their roles in the callous defrauding of Anthony and Joy. See story here