Farmer Tony Martin, who made headlines in 1999 for killing a teenage burglar at his Norfolk home, has left his entire £2.5 million fortune to a pub landlady he met after his release from prison. Martin died last year at age 80, and probate papers reveal his estate, including Bleak House, 350 acres of land, and property in Australia, was bequeathed to Jacqueline Wadsley and her husband David.
Martin was convicted of manslaughter for shooting 16-year-old Fred Barras and wounding 29-year-old Brendon Fearon with an illegal gun. He received a five-year sentence, reduced from murder on grounds of diminished responsibility due to his Asperger's diagnosis. Public opinion was divided at the time, with some supporting his right to defend his property and others condemning the killing.
Martin met Wadsley at the Hare & Hounds pub, where she worked as a manager. Their friendship grew over time, described by her husband David as 'more like a father and a daughter relationship'. David expressed shock at being named in the will, as they had assumed the estate would go to family.
Probate documents indicate Martin was estranged from his brother Robin and left nothing to any relatives. The childless farmer's decision to snub his family has drawn attention, but David Wadsley noted that Martin valued their caring relationship.
