Where is Martyn Smith now? Ben Field's friend from The Sixth Commandment

He was accused of being Ben Field's accomplice to murder, but what happened to Martyn Smith after the events that unfolded in Maids Moreton?

Conor MacNeil as Martyn Smith in The Sixth Commandment
(Image credit: BBC)

The final episodes of The Sixth Commandment are due to air [THIS WEEK?], and viewers want to know where Martyn Smith is now.

The BBC's latest crime drama The Sixth Commandment has had viewers hooked since the first two episodes aired earlier in July, and now that the four-parter has almost wrapped up, viewers have been asking questions about it. While some want to know where The Sixth Commandment was filmed and if it's a true story, others want to know what happened to those involved - with some wondering where Ben Field is now.

Another figure that has drawn intrigue is Martyn Smith, the friend accused of being killer Ben Field's accomplice. Ben manipulated elderly victims Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin into entering a relationship with him, before moving into their homes and convincing them to change their wills - eventually murdering Peter. Though Martyn Smith was close to Ben while all this was going on, he denied any involvement and has been cleared of all charges - leading viewers to wonder where he is now.

Where is Martyn Smith now?

Martyn Smith has dropped off the radar since he was on trial, when he was cleared of all charges. Martyn had been charged with Peter Farquhar's murder and conspiracy to kill neighbour Ann Moore-Martin, as well as multiple counts of fraud along with one count of burglary, alongside Ben Field.

The jury were told that he was "enthralled" by Ben and was keen to gain financially from the situation, and that he had received £10,000 from Peter's will. However, Martyn was found not guilty of all charges.

Conor MacNeil as Martyn Smith in The Sixth Commandment

(Image credit: BBC)

Speaking at the trial, Smith said he went to counselling "to process" the death [of Peter], saying, "I felt I needed to talk to somebody."

Who is Martyn Smith?

Martyn Smith is a magician from Cornwall who was accused of being murderer Ben Field's accomplice. It was alleged he had worked with Ben to murder Peter and conspired to murder Ann. 

Martyn was a friend of Ben Field, who had duped retired teacher Peter into a fake relationship and moved into his home. Ben also managed to persuade the Peter to let Martyn - who was a fellow student of Peter Farquhar's at the University of Buckingham - move in as a lodger.

Martyn also moved into the homes of Ann Moore-Martin and another of Ben's potential victims, Liz Zettl.

However, Martyn said that he had no idea Ben was in a relationship with Peter and was unaware that he was attempting to defraud him.

What did Martyn Smith do?

Martyn Smith lived with Ben Field and his victims Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin, after Ben convinced them to let him move in. Martyn was reportedly captivated by convicted murderer Ben Field and in the BBC drama The Sixth Commandment, he is portrayed by actor Conor MacNeill as being enthralled by his friend.

After Ben persuaded Peter Farquhar to change his will and leave him his estate, Martyn also benefitted, receiving £10,000. However, the magician later explained that he'd had no idea he was a beneficiary of the will.

He also said that he had believed Ben and Peter's relationship was "unusual but perfectly consensual".

During the trial, Martyn was asked about a bottle of whiskey that he had left in Peter's home because it did not fit into his rucksack. Ben Field had been lacing Peter's food and drink with alcohol and drugs, and his body was found next to a glass of whisky.

Asked whether he felt guilty about leaving the alcohol and whether he blamed himself, Martyn said he did.

In other TV news, we've taken a look at the cast of Heat, a new Channel 5 drama starring Danny Dyer, and explained the ending of Silo, a popular Apple TV show. Following the success of Netflix drama Painkiller, you might be interested to know where Richard Sackler is now.

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Ellie Hutchings
Family News Editor

Ellie is GoodtoKnow’s Family News Editor and covers all the latest trends in the parenting world - from relationship advice and baby names to wellbeing and self-care ideas for busy mums. Ellie is also an NCTJ-qualified journalist and has a distinction in MA Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and a first-class degree in Journalism from Cardiff University. Previously, Ellie has worked with BBC Good Food, The Big Issue, and the Nottingham Post, as well as freelancing as an arts and entertainment writer alongside her studies. When she’s not got her nose in a book, you’ll probably find Ellie jogging around her local park, indulging in an insta-worthy restaurant, or watching Netflix’s newest true crime documentary.