Jeremy Mogford, owner of the Old Bank Hotel in Oxford, and his sister Sarah Pickering have pleaded not guilty to the murder of their 100-year-old mother, Pamela Mogford. The pair appeared via video link at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, July 23, and also denied a charge of attempted murder.
Charges and Court Appearance
The charges relate to Pamela Mogford's death on February 15, 2022, in Bledlow Ridge, Buckinghamshire. Mogford, 78, of St Giles, Oxford, and Pickering, 71, of Back Lane, Guildford, Surrey, were charged last year. During the short hearing, they spoke only to confirm their names and pleas.
A trial with a four-week time estimate is set to start on November 9 this year.
Police Statement and Background
Thames Valley Police released a statement last year confirming the charges, adding: "Now that charges have been made, the force will not be in a position to provide any further details as proceedings are now active."
Pamela Mogford married war hero Major Peter Mogford in 1946 after his decommission from the Army, where he served at Dunkirk and in North Africa, Cyprus, Italy, and India. The couple were married for 70 years until Major Mogford's death in 2015. Peter Mogford followed his parents into the hotel industry, operating hotels in High Wycombe, Egham, Windsor, and Oxford. Pamela continued living in Bledlow Ridge, her home since her marriage.
A death notice published at the time described her as active in village life, "fun-loving", and "always generating joy and laughter to many who feel privileged to have had her in their lives for so long."
