Stamp collector gives entire £200k hoard to CLEANER for £1 & axes ‘disrespectful’ stepdaughter from his will in huge row

A STAMP collector has handed his full hoard worthy £200,000 to his cleaner for conscionable £1 and has chopped his “disrespectful” step-daughter retired of his will.

Ray Watts had antecedently wanted to divided his property among his family, but wrote a caller volition 2 years anterior to his decease aged 90 successful 2021.

The bitter inheritance enactment ended up successful a court conflict with a justice present ruling successful favour of Susan Pope, Mr Watts’ erstwhile cleaner.

Judge Gerald, sitting astatine the County Court successful cardinal London, has ruled Mr Watts’ volition dated May 2, 2019 which made Mrs Pope the main beneficiary, is valid.

He dismissed the claims of Mr Watts’ step-daughter Beverley Neate, who had contested the validity of the will.

Mrs Neate had claimed helium could not person intended to disinherit her successful favour of leaving his luck to Mrs Pope.

Mrs Pope, who besides acted arsenic his informal carer, purchased the £200,000 stamp postulation for conscionable £1.

Mrs Pope started moving for Mr Watts successful 2011, aft helium had posted an advertisement for a cleaner.

However, implicit the years, Mrs Pope became adjacent friends with Mr Watts and shared successful his hobby of philately, often taking him to stamp fairs crossed the country.

During the extremity of Mr Watts’ life, Mrs Neate began acting successful ways that helium described arsenic being “disrespectful and distressing,” including changing the locks whilst helium was sick successful hospital.

Because of that behaviour, Mr Watts decided to change his volition and trim Mrs Neate’s bequest from £15,000 to conscionable £1.

The tribunal heard Mr Watts had 3 children - Nicholas and Lesley Watts and Deborah Humphreys - by his archetypal woman Madeline Watts earlier her decease successful 1995.

He past joined Fay Watts, his 2nd wife, successful 1998, with her children Mrs Neate and sons Mark and Sean Brennan - becoming his stepkids earlier Fay died successful 2011.

During his life, Mr Watts had been a clerk astatine Lloyds Bank, earlier devoting himself to stamp collecting and dealing.

Under a volition written successful 2007, Mr Watts intended to permission his estate, including his stock of the household location successful Great Waldingfield, adjacent Sudbury, Suffolk, to his six children and stepchildren divided equally.

But a caller volition was created successful 2019, aft helium had been admitted to infirmary pursuing a superior autumn astatine location successful which helium had lain undiscovered for hours.

The caller volition near £15,000 to each of his 3 children and Mrs Neate, with the remainder of an property valued astatine astir £250,000 going to Mrs Pope.

But Mr Watts past executed a codocil, a papers altering the effect of a will, successful 2020.

This alteration slashed Mrs Neate's stock to a "deliberately derisory" legacy.

Valued astatine up to £200,000 by Mrs Neate, his postulation included stamps dating backmost arsenic acold arsenic the 1840s.

Her barrister Nathan Wells said Mr Watts was "confused with a reduced level of consciousness" and determination had been a "slowing of his thinking" erstwhile helium was successful hospital.

Mr Watts besides told the tribunal determination was grounds of "significant" engagement of Mrs Pope successful the making of the will, having asked solicitors to spot Mr Watts successful hospital.

He added: "In summation to the grounds of a failing caput and the grounds of important beneficiary involvement, determination were a fig of different circumstances surrounding the making of the 2019 volition which should excite the suspicion of the court.

"The presumption of the 2019 volition represented a extremist alteration from the provisions of the 2007 will, which is recognised arsenic a origin going to cognition and approval.

"Because of the concerns astir the deceased’s 'failing mind' and the evident and important grade of beneficiary involvement, Mrs Pope besides has to conscionable the stricter requirements for establishing cognition and approval.

"Mrs Neate confirms it would person been precise retired of quality for the deceased to bash thing arsenic spiteful arsenic leaving her a deliberately derisory bequest of £1 successful his will."

Representing Mrs Pope, Eleanor Clarke said: “This is simply a fantastic effect for Sue aft specified a long, bitter and stressful battle.

“She is blessed that Ray’s wishes for her and his children are yet being carried out.

“Sue was pleased with the benignant comments from the Judge and wanted to convey everyone who has helped and supported her done the past hard 4 years.”