A Banbury couple accused of starving their live-in landlord to death in order to inherit a slice of his £3.5million estate - refused to give evidence in their murder trial, instead putting up a "wall of silence," a court heard today.

Lynda and Wayne Rickard moved into High Havens farmhouse in South Newington, owned by James “Anthony” Sootheran in 2006 and, with 62-year-old Lynda Rickard as the driving force, they planned to defraud his estate and the estate of his elderly mother Joy, a jury heard.

Mother-of-three Rickard had previously admitted forging the will of pensioner Joy where she was set to gain half of her £1.5million estate.

Similarly, she pleaded guilty to manufacturing the will of the pensioner's only son Mr Sootheran.

Today the Rickards categorically denied murdering their live-in landlord for financial gain. They claimed that his death was entirely coincidental to Lynda Rickard having forged his will - it was the consequence of his own self-neglect, they maintained.

However, after a month of a gruelling murder trial, the couple refused to go into the witness box to tell the jury their side of the story.

In his closing speech, prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said: "From Lynda and Wayne Rickard, a wall of silence when their chance to give evidence came. A situation that cries out for an explanation from each of them.

"There were three of them, one house, one dead and yet silence from the other two.

"Lynda Rickard is greedy, manipulative and intent on financial gain taking substantial risks and involving others," said the prosecutor.

The Rickards moved into the multi-million-pound farmhouse set on 60 acres of woodland owned by Mr Sootheran, with the deal being that Lynda Rickard would become a carer for elderly Joy.

Just 18 months after Joy died having suffered with dementia, the skeletal body of 59-year-old Mr Sootheran was discovered in his home by a horrified doctor - placed next to a plate of chocolate bars, a doughnut and a bag of McDonalds food which looked “fresher than him," the jury heard.

In his younger years, retired auctioneer's clerk Mr Sootheran weighed 17 stone but the frail body discovered on March 18 2014 was HALF the size of his former self, weighing a meagre nine stone, the jury at Reading Crown Court was told. 

Lynda Rickard and her husband Wayne Rickard were later charged with his murder.

Standing alongside the Rickards in the dock today were Shanda Robinson, Denise Neal and Michael Dunkley who were alleged to have become "embroiled in the dishonesty".

Mr Saxby began the prosecution closing speech today after a four-and-a-half week trial which was originally expected to last 10 weeks.

In addition to murder, Lynda Rickard, 62, of Edinburgh Close, Banbury, also denies gross negligence manslaughter, fraud, and two counts of perverting the course of justice.

Bearded American Wayne Rickard, 66, and of the same address as his wife, was additionally charged with causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult after Mr Sootheran was discovered deceased in his bedroom, fraud and perverting the course of justice.

Michael Dunkley, 49, of Brickle Lane, Bloxham, stood charged with fraud in relation to the forged will of Mr Sootheran alongside 41-year-old Denise Neal, of Radway Road, Lower Tysoe, Warwickshire.

Shanda Robinson, 51, of Sage Road, Banbury, denies fraud and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The hearing continues.