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£2.5M Estate Surprise for Pub Owner
21 Feb
Summary
- A pub landlady unexpectedly inherited Tony Martin's £2.5 million estate.
- Martin, known for killing a burglar, died last year at age 80.
- The inheritance includes a farmhouse, farmland, and Australian property.
A pub landlady in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has unexpectedly inherited the entire £2.5 million estate of Tony Martin, who passed away last year at the age of 80. Jacqueline Wadsley and her husband David were reportedly stunned by the bequest, which includes the infamous Bleak House farmhouse, 350 acres of prime agricultural land, and property in Australia.
Tony Martin gained notoriety in 1999 after shooting and killing 16-year-old Fred Barras and injuring accomplice Brendon Fearon during a burglary at his isolated farmhouse near Wisbech. His initial murder conviction was later overturned on appeal, and he served three years for manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility, having been diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder. He was released in July 2003.
Following his release, Martin became a regular at the Hare and Hounds pub in Wisbech, where Ms. Wadsley was the landlady. According to neighbours, she and her husband took pity on the lonely and unkempt farmer, offering him friendship, Sunday lunches, and occasional help with chores. Despite this kindness, they had no inkling he would leave his entire fortune to them.
Martin's will, signed in January 2013, named the Wadsleys as executors and trustees. A probate document dated February 14, 2026, confirmed the net value of his estate at £2,567,795. His only known living relatives, his brother and niece, received nothing from his will. The Hare and Hounds pub has since closed down.
