Sibling war as sister sues 'sicknote' brother after he's left entire family fortune

A sister is suing her 'sicknote' brother who never left home after she was sidelined in her late mum's will.

Carol Scott's younger brother John Jones has been left their family's entire fortune, leaving Carol no other option but to take him to court.

John lived with his mother Muriel his whole life, Carol left when she was 19 to pursue her career. When 94-year-old Muriel passed away in April 2017, she left all her £500,000 estate to executor John, now 75.

Carol, backed by brother Peter, is suing John for her share. She described her brother as a "sicknote who always had something wrong with him", claiming he was "looked after" by Muriel and, in return, "isolated" his mother, reports the Mirror.

The nonagenarian had lived with late-husband Ronald in Surrey before uprooting and moving to rural Wiltshire with John and his wife, Bronwen, in 2012.

It was there Carol claims her brother used a "drip drip" of influence, resulting in Muriel leaving all her money to him. The 77-year-old also claims her mum did not properly understand the contents of the will she signed.

However John's lawyers claim he and Bronwen cared for his mother round the clock, which was why he was left her entire fortune. The retired builder was also the only one of his siblings not to own any property.

Carol told Central London county court that she had been "upset" by her mother re-locating to live with John and Bronwen in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, in 2012 after her father's death, saying the isolated home "took her independence away". She also criticised her mother's lifestyle in a granny annexe next to the main house, saying "she didn't have any heating" and would have to "ask John for milk" to make a cup of tea.

She argues the 2015 will is invalid, accusing John of exerting undue influence and claiming their mum didn't understand the contents of what she was signing, asking for a 2010 version to instead be upheld which splits money equally between the four siblings.

Peter also did not receive anything under either will, having received a gift of money from his parents during their lifetimes to set up a hairdressing business. Carol told the court: "John wasn't very independent. She used to make his porridge on a morning and he'd come home from work on a lunchtime and she'd make him a sandwich."

"John's always been like a sicknote," she said. "He's always had something wrong with him. This is why mum felt she needed to protect him. John has never been independent.

"I agreed at the time that he could live in the house until he died. That's what mum wanted for John - to be safe and have a roof over his head." Asked if she harboured ill will against John for living with his mum, she said: "I don't even hate him for doing this."

Cheryl Jones, for Carol and Peter, in her written submissions told Judge Simon Monty KC John was "hostile" to his siblings and that there was a "stark" difference between the 2010 and 2015 wills, the second of which it had been unclear whether Muriel fully understood.

"The deceased...was elderly and vulnerable," said Ms Jones. "A 'drip drip' situation may be highly effective in sapping will. The question is whether the deceased acted of her own free will or was manipulated into feeling that she had no choice but to make the 2015 will." The case continues.

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