October 23rd 2024.
Ray Watts' stepdaughter and his cleaner are currently involved in a heated legal dispute over his extensive stamp collection, which is worth a whopping £200,000. This elderly stamp collector had previously intended to divide his estate among his family members, but his will was altered two years before his passing in 2021, leaving them out of the equation. Instead, the 90-year-old named his cleaner and informal carer, Sue Pope, as the beneficiary of his £250,000 estate and prized stamp collection.
Beverley Neate, the daughter of Mr. Watt's second wife, is now fighting to challenge the will at the Central London County Court, claiming that her stepfather never intended to disinherit her. She argues that Mrs. Pope cannot prove that the will accurately reflected his true intentions. According to Ms. Neate, Mr. Watts had previously expressed his desire to leave his estate equally among his six children and stepchildren, including herself, as stated in his 2007 will. However, a new will was created in 2019 while Mr. Watts was hospitalized after a serious fall at home, which drastically reduced her inheritance to only £15,000.
Mrs. Pope, on the other hand, contests that she was much more than just a cleaner to Mr. Watts and that the inheritance proves as much. She claims that she gradually took on more responsibilities and became his carer over time, in addition to being his friend. Under the new will, she was left with the majority of the estate, including his share of the family home in Great Waldingfield, near Sudbury, Suffolk. This change in the will was made after Mrs. Pope had contacted solicitors to attend to Mr. Watts in the hospital, suggesting that her involvement played a significant role in his decision-making.
The court heard that Mr. Watts had three children from his first marriage, Nicholas and Lesley Watts, and Deborah Humphreys, before his wife passed away in 1995. He went on to remarry in 1998, and his second wife, Fay Watts, had three children of her own, including Mrs. Neate. Sadly, Fay also passed away in 2011. Mr. Watts had worked as a clerk at Lloyds Bank during his career, but in retirement, he devoted himself to philately and was well-known in the stamp collecting community. His collection, valued at up to £200,000 by Mrs. Neate, included stamps dating back to the 1840s.
Mrs. Pope entered Mr. Watts' life after he placed an advertisement for a cleaner, but she gradually took on more responsibilities and became his carer. She argues that she was much more involved in his life than just being a cleaner. However, Ms. Neate disputes this, saying that there was continued contact between her and her stepfather, and she even helped him with medical appointments. She also claims that he would spend Christmas with her and her husband, indicating that their relationship was amicable.
In 2019, Mr. Watts made a new will, leaving the majority of his estate to Mrs. Pope, but then executed a codicil in 2020, which further reduced Mrs. Neate's inheritance to a mere £1. Her lawyers argue that Mrs. Pope cannot prove that Mr. Watts had the "knowledge and approval" of the will and codicil, meaning that it accurately represented his final wishes. They also point out that he was described as "confused with a reduced level of consciousness" while in the hospital, which could have impacted his decision-making. Furthermore, there is evidence of Mrs. Pope's significant involvement in the creation of the will, as she had contacted the solicitors while Mr. Watts was in the hospital.
On the other hand, Mrs. Pope's lawyers argue that she is not being accused of "undue influence" and that Mrs. Neate must prove that the will and codicil accurately reflect Mr. Watts' true wishes. They claim that he was unhappy with Mrs. Neate's behavior towards the end of his life, which led him to cut her out of his will. Mrs. Pope's barrister, Elis Gomer, also points out that Mr. Watts' biological children have corroborated her account, with his son, Nicholas Watts, stating that his father believed he had already provided enough for his children during his lifetime.
In conclusion, the legal battle between Mrs. Pope and Mrs. Neate continues, with both sides presenting their arguments in court. Mrs. Neate's lawyers argue that the will and codicil are invalid, while Mrs. Pope's lawyers insist that they are legally binding and accurately reflect Mr. Watts' final wishes. Along with her share of his estate, Mrs. Pope also inherited his stamp collection for a nominal sum, although she claims it was worth significantly less than the estimated £200,000. The case remains ongoing.
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