A retired window cleaner could face jail after failing to follow a judge’s order to return £300,000 worth of inherited money.
Julie Spalding changed her will to bequeath her bungalow and £60,000 in savings to Albert Pearce.
However, the will was successfully challenged in 2014 by Ms Spalding’s nephew, Cecil Bray, resulting in Mr Pearce being instructed to return the entire inherited sum.
Claiming that the full amount had been lost or spent, Mr Pearce was instead declared bankrupt.
It later emerged, however, that 83-year-old Mr Pearce had supposedly transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds into numerous bank accounts in order to make it look like he was in fact bankrupt.
It was alleged in a High Court hearing that the money had been kept in Mr Pearce’s family by use of a “chain of transactions”.
If it’s found that he has been lying about the money, Mr Pearce could face time in prison.
Originally, after her nephew had given up work to take care of her, Ms Spalding had promised to bequeath her entire estate to Mr Bray, as she no children of her own.
However, Mr Bray stated that following several falls, his aunt underwent a “series of major personality changes”. As a result, Mr Bray was “excommunicated” from her life.
This was around the same time that Mr Pearce had become more involved in Ms Spalding’s life, helping to look after her as well as being a window cleaner.
After she passed away, Mr Pearce inherited just under £300,000 from her estate, being the sole benefactor from her will.
The initial challenge to the will found that there was no evidence of coercion on the part of Mr Pearce, with a judge rejecting a claim of “undue influence.”
However, the judge also highlighted that Ms Spalding had “expressly agreed” she would bequeath her home to Mr Bray upon her death. In light of this, the judge stated that it was only right for this promise to be held.
Despite being instructed to repay everything he had inherited from Ms Spalding’s estate, Mr Pearce told the court he no longer had any of the fortune.
Last week, he was accused of serious contempt of court during a High Court hearing, having allegedly used the money for gambling and travelling.
In order to provide Mr Pearce with time to seek legal aid, the case has been adjourned until next month.
