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Brothers at war: top doctors fight carer sibling in battle over mother’s £1.8 million

Brothers Dominic, left, and Jeremy, are battling their brother over the will of their mother
Brothers Dominic, left, and Jeremy, are battling their brother over the will of their mother

Two top doctors are locked in a battle with their “stay-at-home” brother who is demanding a larger share of their late mother’s £1.8 million fortune.

Dominic and Jeremy Heath left their parents’ £1.5 million Hampstead home to pursue careers in medicine, amassing wealth and properties as they reached “the top of their profession”.

However, their brother Timothy, 62, who describes himself as a “self-employed creative”, never left home and cared for their mother Rachel in her later years.

When she died aged 93 in October 2015, Mrs Heath left a will splitting her estimated £1.8 million estate equally between the three brothers.

But Timothy is now fighting for a larger share of the money, arguing he was the “primary carer” for their mother for years while his brothers “took none of the burden”.

Timothy Heath, 62, cared for his mother Rachel in her later years
Timothy Heath, 62, cared for his mother Rachel in her later years

The High Court has heard Dominic, 53, is a consultant ophthalmologist, based in Hertfordshire, while Jeremy, 65, was described as at “the top of his field” in Wales.

Timothy is a maths graduate and qualified barrister but has never been employed, staying at their Grade II listed childhood home in Corringham Road, Hampstead. He is chairman of a society devoted to the life and works of poet William Blake.

Timothy told the court he acted as an unpaid “live-in carer” for his mother for the last eight years of her life, when she suffered from dementia.

Rachel Heath split her £1.8m fortune equally between the three brothers
Rachel Heath split her £1.8m fortune equally between the three brothers

“I have been looking after mother for many years, a difficult person to look after,” he said. “I never asked to be paid. I didn’t ask to be paid for looking after a parent. But my brothers took none of the burden… they left me to do what they took advantage of.”

Timothy claimed his brothers rarely visited and wanted to send their mother to a “secure mental unit”.

“You cannot have a society where somebody dedicates their life and is denied compensation,” he added.

His brothers said two £45,000-a-year full-time carers were employed to look after their mother and claimed Timothy was “over-egging the pudding”.

But across the courtroom, Timothy addressed Dominic: “I’m not prepared to be bullied by people who have pursued a career with money and don’t value things that don’t attract money, and I don’t think I should be made homeless or put into penury if it can be avoided.”

In reply, Dominic admitted that he was financially wealthy but added: “You are not allowing my children the contents of our mother’s will.”

Mr Justice Carr agreed that Timothy had been acting as one of his mother’s carers and dismissed the idea that Timothy had “acted in any way improperly”. However, he ruled that he should not be an executor of the will as he is claiming a greater share of the estate.

He ordered that Timothy be replaced as executor by an independent solicitor. The two brothers were also ordered to pay their own £25,000 costs of bringing the application to court.

Family fortune: Timothy Heath, left, is locked in a dispute with brothers Dominic, top, and Jeremy, over the will of their mother Rachel, right. Timothy was a live-in carer at her £1.5 million home in Hampstead