A woman has been disinherited from her late father’s £1 million will after her brother was written out due to lies she told.
The complicated case came before Bristol High Court this week, where District Judge Tony Woodburn branded the woman’s behaviour as ‘disgraceful’.
The court heard that Sonia Whittle had managed to turn her father Gerald against his own son David shortly before his death after making a string of false accusations.
Advert
The judge was told how Sonia had falsely labelled her brother and his wife Julie as ‘psychopaths’ and ‘criminals’ in order to get their elderly dad to cut them out of his will.
Sonia also didn’t tell David when their dad had passed away in 2016 and attempted to hide the £1 million inheritance, which included antiques and classic cars.
After listening to evidence, Judge Woodburn declared the will was ‘invalid’ on the grounds that it was obtained fraudulently and through undue influence.
Advert
Known as ‘fraudulent calumny’, it is only the third court ruling of its kind since 2007.
The judge said it was ‘appalling’ that Sonia had attempted to cut her brother out of his inheritance.
The court was told that during a meeting with a trainee legal executive to help draw up a new will, Sonia accused her brother and sister-in-law of being ‘criminals’ who had stolen large sums of money from Julie's mum.
It was also revealed that Sonia called David a ‘c**t and a thieving f*****g bastard’ in front of their dad.
Advert
In giving his verdict, Judge Woodburn added: "On all of the evidence presented to me, it is abundantly clear that the aspersions cast on the characters of both David and his wife, are not merely unproven by (Sonia), but, I find, are completely false.
"The issue then arises as to whether Sonia's falsehoods so tainted Gerald's mind and thoughts that he was compelled to exclude David from a more substantial share in Gerald's estate? Was Gerald so pressured by the weight of [Sonia's] allegations as to be persuaded to marginalise David in the way described in the will?"
"From August to early November 2016, Gerald moved from 91 to 92 years of age, he was attempting to live with the debilitating diagnosis and condition caused by leukaemia; his health was deteriorating; he was prone to confusion and was physically frail."
Advert
The judge ruled Sonia 'attempted and succeeded in falsely and unduly influencing' Gerald to marginalise or exclude David from a substantial share in the estate.
Featured Image Credit: SWNSTopics: UK News