The wife and daughter of a man missing from Harrow since May 2001 have today (3 April 2012) been convicted of his murder – despite his body never having been found.
64 year old Shirley Banfield and her daughter 40 year old Lynette Banfield were living with 63 year old Don Banfield in Wealdstone when he disappeared. He was last seen alive on 11 May 2001 and was then reported to police as a missing person on 19 May 2001 by a friend.
During the time of his disappearance his wife and daughter made fraudulent claims to a number of organisations in order to claim pension and benefits. They falsely claimed to have seen Mr. Banfield on occasion in the intervening years.
CPS London Head of Complex Casework Jenny Hopkins said:
“This has been a challenging case to prosecute as we have asked the jury to find two people guilty of a murder where no body has ever been found.
“However there was strong evidence. The callous actions of Shirley and Lynette Banfield proved they knew that Don Banfield was never going to return. Just a few days after he was last seen alive they began falsifying documents in his name eventually claiming thousands of pounds.
“Their actions were motivated by greed and they robbed a man of his life purely for monetary gain.
“Almost eleven years since Don’s disappearance, his wife and daughter no doubt believed they may have got away with their crime. This case shows the Crown Prosecution Service will strive to secure justice in all circumstances, working alongside the police to put a strong case before the court.”
