Pub Landlady Inherits £2.5 Million Fortune from Notorious Burglar Killer Tony Martin
A pub landlady who inherited the entire £2.5 million estate of notorious burglar killer Tony Martin has revealed she had "no idea" she stood to land the fortune. Farmer Martin, who died last year aged 80, was initially jailed for the murder of 16-year-old Fred Barras and for seriously injuring accomplice Brendon Fearon after they broke into his isolated farmhouse, near Wisbech, in 1999.
Conviction Downgraded on Appeal
However, the murder conviction was later quashed on appeal, and Martin instead spent three years in prison for manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility, after he was diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder. He was released in July 2003, following a public outcry that led the Court of Appeal to downgrade his conviction.
Martin left his entire fortune to Jacqueline Wadsley, a pub landlady he met after his release from prison. Wadsley, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has said the bequest – which consists of the infamous Bleak House farmhouse, 350 acres of prime agricultural land, and property in Australia – came as a complete surprise.
Lonely Life After Prison
After his release, Martin was left lonely and would frequent the Hare and Hounds pub in Wisbech, a short drive from the village of Emneth Hungate, where he lived. Friend and neighbour Richard Allen told the Daily Mail: "When he came out of prison Tony didn't have anybody. But Jacqui is a very kind lady, she took pity on him and took him into her home."
Jacqui Wadsley, 52, with her husband David, inherited the estate. Allen added: "However, she and her husband David had no idea that he would leave everything to them. They were very kind to him even though he was a bit of a strange chap. He was quite a mess. He didn't look after himself very well."
Kindness Rewarded
Katie Jolly, a barmaid at another pub in Wisbech, described how Wadsley took the isolated Martin "under her wing" when he came out of prison. She said: "When Tony came out of prison people were very wary of him. He used to go into the Hare and Hounds where Jacqui was the landlady, and she took him under her wing. She was kind to him when no one wanted to know him."
Another neighbour, cafe owner Fernando Civia, added: "Jacqui is a lovely lady. Tony Martin used to come here too. But he was a strange man. He would order his food, pay and then go. He didn't want to talk."
Estate Details and Relationship
The Wadsleys are said to have become "like father and daughter" with Martin. David Wadsley previously told the Mirror that they first met Martin over 20 years ago. He said: "It was a slow burner but Jacqui, by her nature, she's a very, very caring person so the friendship just grew. It became something much stronger and ended up being more like a father and a daughter relationship."
He added that his wife had been "very surprised" at Martin's decision to leave them his estate, saying: "It was a shock to find out we had been named in his will. We're still trying to take it all in really."
Property and Legal Aspects
Martin's estate includes Bleak House, which he never returned to after his release from prison. The house was already dilapidated before the killing and is now crumbling. Earlier this month, the remains were seen being cleared out.
According to Tony Martin's will, signed on January 28, 2013, the farmer made the Wadsleys his executors and trustees, leaving his estate to them. A probate document, dated February 14, 2026, named the couple as beneficiaries and placed the net value at £2,567,795. Martin's only living relatives – his older brother Robin and his niece – did not receive anything from the will.
Friends' Perspectives
Martin's friend, Malcolm Starr, told the BBC he believed Ms Wadsley "deserved every penny", as she had been a "very loyal friend". He said: "She was very generous with her time, which he appreciated. Tony left all his money to Jacqui because after a while he found out she was the most genuine person he had within his friendship [group]. She deserved the money because she was so loyal to him."
Starr added that Martin had accrued his wealth through inheritance but lived very frugally. The Wadsleys did not respond to requests for comment, and the Hare and Hounds pub closed down last year.
