Thomas Roberts

Thomas Roberts died from strychnine poisoning.

His death had initially been put down as being caused by heart failure but because he had left a will in which the last person to have seen him alive was the main beneficiary his body was later exhumed by a Home office expert and analysis of his body found more than a fatal dose of strychnine in him.

He was a retired farmer and had disposed of his farm 2 years earlier for £700. the money was paid into a joint account held by him and the man suspected of murdering him.

However, the court heard that some months before the man had advised Thomas Roberts that the best thing that he could do would be to get a wife which would have meant that his money would have gone to her, and also further stated that he didn't even know that Thomas Roberts had a will.