ONE of Britain's richest men, worth £301million, was last night found stabbed to death in his country mansion. Sir Richard Lexington Sutton, an 83-year-old Baronet, was attacked inside his £2million home in Higher Langham, near Gillingham, Dorset.
Sir Richard Lexington Sutton, 83, was attacked inside his £2million home in Dorset last night 
Graham Hunt/BNPSCops rushed to the scene in Higher Langham, near Gillingham, Dorset, last night[/caption] 
A woman in her 60s, believed to be his wife, is fighting for her life after suffering knife injuries in the bloodbath at Moorhill, a large detached property in the tiny hamlet. A 34-year-old man \- believed to be known to the victims \- was arrested on suspicion of murder 100 miles away in London three hours later. Police rushed to the scene of the killing after receiving a call from a member of the public concerned for the welfare of the occupants of the house at 7.30pm. When they got there they found Sir Richard with fatal knife wounds. ONE OF UK'S RICHEST MEN Nothing could be done to save him and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.15pm. A woman in her 60s, was airlifted to the Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Her condition was today described as ...critical.... Neighbours confirmed that Sir Richard, was married to his second wife Anne Schreiber, who was named locally as the other victim of the stabbing. Police investigations identified a Range Rover linked to the attacks that was spotted travelling eastbound on the A303. It was tracked by police as it sped across Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey before it was stopped in Hammersmith, West London. The suspect, from Gillingham, was detained at 10.30pm in Hammersmith. 
pixel8000Local residents said Sir Richard was ...a private person' who didn't engage much with the tiny community of around 200[/caption] 
INSSir Richard's wife, Anne Schreiber, was named locally as the victim who was injured in the stabbing[/caption] 
AlamySir Richard has owned a string of luxury hotels, including the five-star Sheraton Grand on London's Park Lane[/caption] 
Jeffrey BlacklerThe millionaire hotelier also owns the Athenaeum Hotel on Park Lane[/caption] 
Graham Hunt/BNPSPolice officers at a cordon near the entrance to Moorhill today[/caption] He was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. Ms Schreiber is believed to have three children, two daughters and one son, and runs The London Road clinic in Sherborne, Dorset, which provides osteopathy, physiotherapy and counselling. One of her colleagues at the clinic today answered ...no comment... to questions about her condition. Sir Richard married his first wife Fiamma Sutton in 1959 before they divorced. They had two children, David, 61, and Caroline, 55, and five grandchildren. Sir Richard was described as an ...old English gentry landowner... who was worth an estimated £301million and was at number 435 on last year's Sunday Times Rich List. One murder is shocking but a double murder would be chilling Simon Hoare, MP for North Dorset He has owned a huge portfolio of hotels, property and farms across the including the five-star Sheraton Grand on London's swanky Park Lane and the Athenaeum in Mayfair. The millionaire had a sprawling property empire and 7,000 acres of land, is said to be more than the amount owned by the Ministry of Defence. One local resident said Sir Richard was a long-term resident of Higher Langham, but ...was a private person who did not engage much... with the tiny community of around 200 people. A spokesman for Sir Richard Sutton Limited said today: ...We are deeply saddened and devastated by the sudden death of Sir Richard Sutton, announced this morning. 
INSSir Richard was described as a ...country gentleman' by local MP Simon Hoare[/caption] 
Graham Hunt/BNPSFlowers were placed at the entrance to the driveway leading to Sir Richard's home[/caption] 
Graham Hunt/BNPSPolice announced last night that a murder investigation had been launched[/caption] 
Graham Hunt/BNPSCops were seen scouring a wooded area for clues near the remote estate today[/caption] ...Sir Richard was a caring, generous and warm family man, who genuinely regarded those who worked for him as part of his extended family. ...Sir Richard was passionately devoted to both his company and its people, setting the highest and standards for quality in the hotels, farming and property interests within the group. ...His loss will be felt by everyone within the company, those who worked with him, and his family who have lost an incredible individual. ...Our thoughts are with the Sutton family at this tragic time.... The local MP Simon Hoare, who knew Sir Richard well, today paid tribute to the landowner who he said was a ...country gentleman.... The Conservative MP for North Dorset described the incident as ...deeply awful... and said he received a ...full briefing... on it from police today. If you wanted to conjure up a picture of a country gentleman then that was him.... Local MP Simon Hoare Mr Hoare MP, 51, said: ...He was a charming man, he had a very good sense of humour, he was politically astute and genial. ...If you wanted to conjure up a picture of a country gentleman then that was him. ...It is a huge loss for his family in what is clearly deeply awful circumstances.... Mr Hoare MP also said: ...This is not the sort of thing you expect to see happening in North Dorset nor the sort of thing we are used to seeing here. ...Based on what I have been told by the police there is cause for shock and sadness but no cause or reason for alarm.... The politician added that he is hoping medics are able to help save the injured woman in her 60s as ...one murder is shocking but a double murder would be chilling.... Sir Richard bought the Moorhill country estate in 2014 for £1.4million. 
BNPSForensic officers could be been at the £2million mansion in Higher Langham, today after the fatal stabbing[/caption] 
Graham Hunt/BNPSSir Richard was stabbed in his home in rural Dorset last night[/caption] 
Graham Hunt/BNPSOfficers have shut off the road leading to his £2million country mansion[/caption] 
Sir Richard Lexington Sutton owned a huge portfolio of hotels, property and farms across the country Today three police vans were seen at the entrance to a long drive which leads to the remote property, while forensics officers were observedinside. A neighbour said: ...The Suttons live there. They have two grown up children and grandchildren. ...It is just awful. You would never imagine something like this could happen. They are lovely people.... A local farmer said: ...I saw a search helicopter with a spotlight overhead last night and then an air ambulance landed. ...The people who live there is an old English gentry landowner and his wife.... Their family has been informed and the Dorset coroner has been notified of the death. WORTH £301MILLION Detective Inspector Simon Huxter, of Dorset Police's Major Crime Investigation Team, said: ...Our thoughts are with the family of the man who sadly died and the injured woman at this extremely difficult time and they are being supported by specially-trained officers. ...We will be carrying out a full investigation to establish exactly what happened at the address in Higher Langham and I would appeal to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the area on the evening of April 7 to please contact us. ...A cordon remains in place at the address and there will continue to be a heavy police presence in the vicinity as we carry out enquiries. Officers can be approached by members of the public with any information or concerns.... Most read in UK News DEATH PROBE Young child found dead at house in Leicestershire village as man, 33, arrested TURNING THE TIDE UK Covid cases drop 32% in a week with 3,030 more infections and 53 deaths FIND THEM Frantic search for missing twins, 13, who disappeared five days ago 'SENDING MY LOVE' Well-wishers raise £30k for funeral of baby killed in pram crash MURDER PROBE OAP stabbed to death and woman in her 60s critical as man, 34, arrested NO BEER FEAR Pub-goers WON'T need to take cash only to drink in beer gardens from Monday Sir Richard Lexington Sutton, 9th Baronet, was head of the Sutton family, which owns land in Dorset, Berkshire, London and Lincolnshire and Aberdeenshire. He inherited his title and estate from his father in 1981. In total he and his family own close to 7,000 acres of land across the UK \- more than double the amount owned by the MoD. 
Graham Hunt/BNPS;A spokesman for Sir Richard Sutton Limited said today: ...We are deeply saddened and devastated by the sudden death of Sir Richard Sutton, announced this morning.'[/caption] 
Graham Hunt/BNPSDorset Police have today launched a murder investigation[/caption] Read Full Text
