Man accused of murdering Dorset millionaire hotelier 'shouted at mother over funding'
The trial continues at Winchester Crown Court today
The man accused of the murder of Gillingham's Sir Richard Sutton and paralysing his mother in a knife attack had berated his mother for failing to get her millionaire hotelier partner to buy things for him, a court has heard.
Thomas Schreiber, of Gillingham, Dorset, is accused at Winchester Crown Court accused of the murder of the 83-year-old baronet and attempted murder of his mother Anne Schreiber, on April 7th 2021.
The 35-year-old has previously admitted the manslaughter of Sir Richard and pleaded guilty to driving a Range Rover dangerously on the A303, A4 and M3.
The attack happened at Sir Richard's Moorhill estate near Gillingham, Dorset, which he shared with the Schreiber family following the separation of the defendant's parents.
Juliet Pentolfe, Sir Richard's personal assistant for six years, said that on one occasion she walked in on the defendant angrily shouting at his mother.
She said: "Tom was shouting at his mother saying she was living with one of the wealthiest men in England and why couldn't she get him to pay for things - I had thought Tom meant for himself."
Ms Pentolfe said that Sir Richard owned an Aston Martin car and a Range Rover and added that he would keep the keys to the Aston Martin in his pocket, but the defendant would drive the Range Rover.
She said: "He was very irritated about his Range Rover being used because it was his car, it was Sir Richard's car."
She added: "He was not happy about Tom living at Moorhill, he was not happy because he was not contributing to living there."
Ms Pentolfe said the defendant, who lived in an annexe at the Moorhill estate, referred to her as a "facilitator" for organising things for him including a trip to stay in a hotel and a visit to the races for him and his mother, paid for by Sir Richard.
The trial has heard that Schreiber had been upset with Sir Richard for only offering him ÂŁ10,000 to buy a car which would not cover the cost of the vehicle he wished to buy.
Ms Pentolfe said: "Sir Richard said to me he thought Tom should have a van because Tom has started painting these enormous canvases and he thought a little van would accommodate the canvases."
She added that Sir Richard paid the defendant a monthly allowance of ÂŁ1,000 and had also given him ÂŁ100,000 to buy a property.
The court has heard that Schreiber's two sisters had received similar amounts.
Ms Pentolfe said that she saw the defendant at about 4.30pm on the day of the killing and said he appeared to be in a "good mood" before adding: "I thought he looked quite cheery, he was quite fresh looking."
Schreiber denies murder and attempted murder and the trial continues.