Farmer Strangled Father Over Farm Dispute, Inquest Hears

A farmer strangled his churchwarden father to death and buried him on the family's land after fearing the farm would be given to someone else, an inquest heard.

Charles Wright, 52, had a significant dispute with his father, Brian Wright, 82, over the future of Hall Farm in Nottinghamshire. According to a voice note discovered by police, Charles Wright believed his father intended to replace him and give the majority of the farm to another family member.

"I just had a flash of red and after 25 years and everything I have given him, he was just cutting me out like that," Charles Wright stated in the recording. "I just saw red, dragged him out of the car and throttled him."

The voice note, sent to police on November 22 of the previous year, two days after Brian Wright was reported missing, also indicated his intention to take his own life.

An inquest at Nottingham Coroner’s Court concluded that Brian Wright was unlawfully killed, while Charles Wright died by suicide.

Evidence presented at the inquest indicated that Brian Wright had been critical of his son's farming abilities, calling him "useless" and stating it was a "a mistake to let him farm that land" during an argument.

Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow told the inquest that Charles Wright admitted to killing his father and burying him on the farm, citing disagreements over finances and work arrangements.

Brian Wright was reported missing on November 20 after failing to take his wife to a hospital appointment. His vehicle was later found out of place overnight, and his body was discovered buried in a shallow grave on the farm four days later. His cause of death was determined to be pressure applied to the neck.

On November 22, the same day Charles Wright's body was found, he drove his vehicle at his brother James Wright and a friend, causing injury. Charles Wright took his own life later that day, and his body was discovered in an outbuilding on Hall Farm.

The inquest also revealed past tensions on the farm, which had led to a firearms license being withdrawn from an unnamed family member due to concerns about potential misuse amid family disputes.

Detective Chief Inspector Burrow concluded that the evidence showed Charles Wright murdered his father and subsequently took his own life, with no third-party involvement in either death.

Senior Coroner Mairin Casey described the events as "a truly tragic case," offering condolences to the surviving family members, noting the loss of two men who were fathers and a grandfather.