Four large charities are locked in a fight against the son of an Alzheimer’s patient amidst charges of a fraudulently created will for another woman.
Two key facts are not under dispute in an estate battle in the United Kingdom. The facts are that Dorothy Whelan executed a will in 1982 leaving her £1.6 million estate to four charities and a second will was created in 1999 leaving the estate to Hazel Turner.
When Whelan passed away in 2012, the charities sued Turner claiming she created the second will fraudulently. Since she is now 95-years-old and incapacitated due to Alzheimer’s, her son is fighting the battle on her behalf.
The Turner side of the story is that Whelan and Turner were childhood friends and continued that friendship until Whelan passed away. According to this side, the 1982 will reflected the wishes of Whelan’s husband with whom she created mirror wills.
The husband wanted to support the charities, but when he passed away in 1989 Mrs. Whelan changed her mind and wanted to take care of her friend.
The charities, on the other hand, claim that the 1999 will was created under suspicious circumstances. They claim that Whelan may not have been competent at the time. The charities also claim that the alleged witnesses to the 1999 will have no recollection of seeing Whelan and that they thought they were witnessing a will for Mrs. Turner.
The Daily Mail has more on this story in “Charities in court battle with son of frail 95-year-old who 'tricked friend into signing over her £1.6million fortune in will'.”
The case has been taken under advisement by a court with a decision expected in the future.