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UK: Multi-millionaire hotelier Sir Richard Sutton, who owns hotels on London’s Park Lane, has been stabbed to death at his country home in Higher Langham near Gillingham, police announce.
Sutton, who was in his 80s, was pronounced dead a short time after the attack last night, whilst a woman in her 60s suffered stab wounds during the incident.
A 34-year-old man was arrested in Hammersmith on suspicion of murder and later taken to hospital for treatment of injuries. Dorset police said the suspect and the victims were known to each other.
In a statement, Sutton’s company said: “Sir Richard was a caring, generous and warm family man, who genuinely regarded those who worked for him as part of his extended family. [He] 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.”
Sutton owned a vast portfolio of hotels, property and farms across the country. Hotels included the Athenaeum and Sheraton Grand in London, as well as others in Mayfair and Soho.
Detective Inspector Simon Huxter, of Dorset Police’s major crime investigations 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.”
In May 2020, Sutton’s worth was estimated around £301 million, placing him 435th on the Sunday Times rich list.
