15 November 2025 , 12:36
528
0
Lisa Clarke, 53, was part of a gang who brutally killed former soldier Brian Farmer by stabbing and pouring boiling water over him at his home in Birmingham.
A "sadistic" killer who was part of a gang that tortured an ex-soldier in what his family called a "cruel, senseless, and barbaric act" has died in prison.
Lisa Clarke, 53, from Aston, along with three men, left Brian Farmer to die in his flat at Bakeman House, Yardley, Birmingham, in May 2012, and she was jailed for life. The 64-year-old victim, who served more than 20 years in the British Army, was stabbed and had boiling water poured over him.
He suffered five stab wounds and had 17 separate injuries to his head and neck. He was also force-fed drugs during the horrific ordeal. Clarke was convicted of murder following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court in 2013. She was sentenced to 23 years in December that year, with the prison service confirming Clarke died in hospital on October 26.
Jason Andrews, then 40, of no fixed address, and Vaughan Davies, then 18, from Derby, were also convicted of murder and jailed for 27 and 14 years respectively. Peter Knowles, 52 at the time, of no fixed address, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years.
Mr. Farmer’s family described the killing at the time as "a cruel, senseless, and barbaric act committed without remorse or feeling that has left an emptiness that can never be filled."
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an independent inquiry into the death of 53-year-old Clarke. Birmingham-born Clarke had been an inmate at HMP Styal, a closed category prison for female adults and young offenders, in Cheshire.
An inquest into her death was opened at Warrington Coroner’s Court as her death occurred in custody. It emerged she was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital on October 21. She underwent treatment but died on October 26, reported BirminghamLive.
The inquest was adjourned to allow time for the case to be investigated. A pre-inquest review is set for January 29, 2026, and the full inquest will proceed on April 27, 2026.
Deputy Editor