Killer Farmer Tony Martin Leaves £2.5m Fortune to Pub Landlady He Met After Prison Release
Tony Martin, the reclusive farmer who shot dead a teenage burglar at his Norfolk home, has left his entire £2.5 million fortune to a pub landlady he befriended after walking free from prison, exclusive documents reveal.
An Unlikely Father-Daughter Bond
Martin, who died last year aged 80 from the effects of a stroke, left an estate totalling £2,567,795 to Jacqueline "Jacqui" Wadsley, 52, and her husband David, 45, according to probate papers. The couple were named as trustees and sole beneficiaries of his will.
The friendship began in 2003 when Martin, fresh from prison after his murder conviction was reduced to manslaughter, started visiting the Hare & Hounds pub in Wisbech where Jacqui worked as manager. What started as casual encounters evolved into a deep, familial connection.
"It became something much stronger and ended up being more like a father and a daughter relationship to be honest at the end," David Wadsley told the Mirror exclusively.
From Pub Encounters to Family Inclusion
Martin, who had no children and was estranged from his feuding elder brother Robin, found in Jacqui his only family. She helped him with medical appointments, accommodation issues, and was available at all hours, according to those close to the situation.
"Jacqui was always helping him with anything to do with doctors, hospitals, accommodation, and was there at all hours," David explained. "He became part of the family really."
Martin even attended the couple's marriage blessing when they officially tied the knot at the Hare & Hounds, surrounded by their three daughters and close family members.
The Shocking Inheritance
The Wadsleys were reportedly surprised to learn they had been named in Martin's will, which was made in 2013, a decade after they first met.
"Jacqui was very surprised," David revealed. "When she first met him she had no idea about his farm or his estate and that was never on her mind. It was just her caring nature that was just to look after him and then it just grew from there."
The fortune includes:
- Bleak House Farm in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk
- 350 acres of surrounding land
- Property in Australia
- Various other assets
The Notorious Shooting and Its Aftermath
Martin's story gained national notoriety on August 20, 1999, when 16-year-old Fred Barras and 29-year-old Brendan Fearon broke into his Bleak House home. Martin shot both intruders with a pump-action shotgun, killing Barras and injuring Fearon.
Initially convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, Martin's conviction was reduced to manslaughter on appeal, and he was released after serving three years. The case sparked intense debate about homeowners' rights to protect their property.
After his release, Martin refused to live in Bleak House again, and the property has remained uninhabited since his death. The estate has suffered from vandalism and theft, with Martin's beloved 1975 Range Rover being stripped for parts and additional security measures required.
Continuing the Legacy
The Wadsleys plan to continue farming the land, which David had been managing under a tenancy agreement before Martin's death.
"We're going to try to keep the farm going, which I'm sure Tony would have wanted," David said, acknowledging the challenges posed by the property's notoriety and ongoing security issues.
Reconciliation and Reflection
In a surprising development, Brendan Fearon, now 54 and still suffering from his injuries, broke his 20-year silence after Martin's death to express that he bore no malice toward the farmer.
"I have no anger," Fearon told the Mirror. "He did what he had to do to protect himself and his home. I feel for him and his family. Life's not been kind to me but it was much crueller to little Fred, who lost his life, and his family."
Fearon acknowledged his own criminal past but insisted he has reformed and now focuses on his family, describing the shooting as "the end of a chapter."
The inheritance marks the final chapter in a story that captivated Britain, blending crime, punishment, redemption, and an unexpected bond that transcended one of the country's most controversial self-defense cases.
