Granddaughters Face £220,000 Legal Bill After Losing Inheritance Dispute Over Grandfather’s Will

Five granddaughters, each left £50 in their grandfather’s will, now face a significant legal bill.

Frederick Ward Snr, who passed away in 2020, excluded his deceased son Fred Jr’s five adult daughters from his £500,000 estate, expressing disappointment over their infrequent visits during his later years.

The granddaughters – Carol Gowing, Angela St Marseille, Amanda Higginbotham, Christine Ward, and Janet Pett – received £50 each and decided to sue, arguing they deserved their late father’s one-third share of the estate.

However, the High Court dismissed their case, with Judge Master James Brightwell deeming Frederick Snr’s decision rational due to the grandchildren’s limited contact with him.

After a recent hearing, the granddaughters have been ordered to pay over £220,000 to cover their aunt and uncle’s defence costs and legal expenses. The granddaughters had accused their Uncle Terry and Aunt Susan of unduly influencing Frederick Snr to alter his will, but the High Court found that the claim was unsupported by evidence.

The granddaughters’ lawyers argued they shouldn’t bear all the legal costs, accusing their uncle of provocative behaviour and requesting some of the expenses be paid from the grandfather’s estate.

However, the judge highlighted that the court battle stemmed from the deteriorated relationship between the grandchildren and their grandfather, who was disappointed by their limited contact after Fred Jr’s death.

The judge ordered Ms Gowing and her sisters to pay £100,000 upfront towards a total defence legal bill estimated at £136,470, with VAT to be added. The sisters’ legal costs amounted to £85,688.50.

The trial revealed that Fred Ward Snr, an independent and strong-minded former soldier and cable joiner who lived in South Ealing, London, died at age 91 in 2020.

He had three children – Fred Jr, Terry, and Susan – and initially made a will dividing his estate among them. After Fred Jr died in 2015, the family fell out, leading to minimal contact between Fred Snr and his late son’s children.

When Terry read Fred Snr’s 2018 will, a bitter argument ensued, which was recorded and played in court. The argument revealed that the granddaughters had been nearly cut out of the will. The granddaughters sued, claiming the will was invalid as their grandfather was coerced by Terry and unduly influenced by Susan.

Angela St Marseille is one of the five granddaughters who will now have to pay more than £200,000 in legal costs (Picture: Champion News)

Frederick was disappointed when his grandchildren, including Janet Pett, rarely visited in his later years (Picture: Champion News)

During the trial, the granddaughters’ barrister argued that Terry disliked his niece, Carol Gowing, following a property dispute, which exacerbated family tensions. Maxwell Myers, representing Terry and Susan, denied the allegations and asserted the decedent’s right to distribute his estate as he wished.

The case returned to court to determine who would cover the legal costs. Both sides blamed each other for initiating the dispute, with Mr Myers arguing that Terry and Susan had to defend themselves against serious allegations.

Representing the sisters, James McKean contended they were compelled to sue after their aunt and uncle retracted an agreement not to distribute the estate and cited Terry’s provocative behaviour at the will reading.

Amanda Higginbotham outside London’s High Court (Picture: Champion News)

Carol Gowing was one of five granddaughters upset at being left £50 (Picture: Champion News)

The judge rejected the sisters’ request to have the costs paid from the estate. The judge stated that the leading cause of the legal dispute was the changed relationship between the deceased and the claimants, not the deceased’s actions. The judge also noted that while Terry’s behaviour was provocative, it did not justify reallocating legal costs from the estate.

Christine Ward and the others are now facing a hefty legal bill (Picture: Champion News)

Ultimately, the judge concluded that the deceased’s promise to distribute the estate equally among his children’s descendants did not cause the litigation. Instead, the strained relationship and subsequent actions led to the court battle, solidifying the decision to have the granddaughters cover the legal costs themselves.