Court hears how murder accused Stephen Farrow watched vicar die

A court has heard a graphic account of how “psycopath” Stephen Farrow killed Thornbury vicar the Reverend John Suddards and watched him die.

Talking to a doctor after he was arrested, Farrow said that Rev Suddards kept trying to talk to him up until his death.

Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Tim Rogers told Bristol Crown Court he believed drifter Farrow suffered from a rare personality disorder which bore psychopathic hallmarks.

He said though Farrow was not mentally ill, his condition meant he was unable to exercise self-control or guilt.

Farrow, 48, admits that, over last Christmas last year, he burgled Vine Cottage in Thornbury.

But he denies that he went on to murder 77-year-old Betty Yates at her home in Worcestershire in January.

Though he admits manslaughter of 59-year-old Rev Suddards, he denies murdering the cleric at his vicarage in February with the partial defence of diminished responsibility.

Dr Rogers told the court he interviewed Farrow in March and received a “chilling account” of how Farrow killed the reverend following “inner voices” and five days of meticulous planning.

Dr Rogers said: “He told me the reverend opened the door and he went inside.

“He accused the reverend of abusing him. He said he made a mistake in what he intended to say.

“He said he intended to say ‘people like you have abused people like me’.

“He didn’t say he had been abused by Rev Suddards.”

Dr Rogers said Farrow clarified he had been abused by religious figures as a child.

He said Farrow then described watching Rev Suddards die.

He told the court: “He said he kicked the reverend to keep him down.

“The reverend had wanted to get up and he said ‘no’.

“The reverend wanted to talk to him and this wish to talk made the situation worse.

“He said the reverend tried to get up a second time and he just stabbed him.

“He said after that the reverend said ‘I’m dying’ and Stephen Farrow said ‘die then, hurry up’.

“It took three minutes before the reverend passed away. The front door was still open and he casually went and closed it.

“He watched three films in the reverend’s house and drank the reverend’s beer.”

Farrow described how he ransacked the vicarage and referred to “fearing 2012 the most”.

Dr Rogers told the jury: “He said he almost realised his long-standing fantasy or premonition accept for one aspect. He had not crucified the reverend to the floor.

“He said he had the tools. He could have done this but he could not go on. He had not given the consequences any thought.”

Dr Rogers said Farrow’s account was merely abstract and disconnected of him having the emotion of a “normal person”.

He said: “I found it absurd in the extreme that anyone could do what he had done and watch movies and drink beer and behave in an entirely cold and calm way.

“He spoke about it the way someone would speak about doing the shopping.”

Dr Rogers said Farrow recounted he was sent home from school on his first day and had an overly disciplinarian father who he hated.

Farrow also admitted inflicting pain on others and animals and claimed to have been sexually abused by teachers and religious figures in his childhood and adolescence.

The drifter perceived himself to be an outsider who didn’t fit in and was angry at the system.

The jury was told Farrow’s lack of empathy, remorse and guilt and failure to accept responsibility or emotion meant he could be classified as a psychopath.

The doctor said he believed Farrow was trying to say he was mentally ill and needed to go to hospital.

The case continues.