Maureen Rickards, a 50-year-old aspiring barrister, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her husband, Jeremy Rickards, who was found buried in their garden on St Martin's Road in Canterbury. The sentencing took place at Canterbury Crown Court after a jury found her guilty on March 13.
The investigation began when a family member reported Jeremy, aged 65, missing on July 5, 2022. Maureen initially claimed he had travelled to Saudi Arabia for work and had died there. However, police could not find any evidence to support her account of his departure. The situation turned dire as detectives delved into Jeremy's mobile phone records, revealing that the last activity registered was a top-up on June 8.
Authorities analysed his bank card transactions and reviewed CCTV footage showing Maureen using the card in shops between June 20 and 30. This led to her arrest for fraud on July 11, the same day police discovered Jeremy's body in their garden. Jeremy had been stabbed five times in the chest and exhibited injuries consistent with physical abuse sustained weeks prior to his death.
Further scrutiny of the case revealed disturbing images and videos from Maureen’s phone that depicted her verbally and physically abusing Jeremy. He had been seen with facial bruising in a Canterbury pub on May 17, where he attributed his injuries to a car crash.
A neighbour, Oksana Kandaurova, recounted noticing a strange odour emanating from the Rickards' garden days before the body was uncovered. Speaking to the court, she remarked, "It wasn't like anything else, like the smell from rubbish or an animal corpse. It was the first time I had felt such a smell," which led her to avoid the garden due to its unpleasantness.
Following her arrest for murder, Maureen’s actions were characterised as deliberate attempts to obscure the truth. Detective Inspector Colin McKeen of Kent Police stated, "Maureen Rickards carried out the vicious murder of her husband Jeremy before attempting to hide his body in their garden. She then sought to frustrate the investigation and has repeatedly refused to admit what she did, forcing a trial at which a jury saw through her deception." He expressed hope that the conclusion of the case would serve as some solace for Jeremy's grieving family.
On April 9, Maureen was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison, marking a significant resolution to a case that has captivated the local community and underscored issues of domestic violence.
Source: Noah Wire Services