Son Accuses Sister of Plundering £1.6m in Inheritance Battle Over Mum's £5m Fortune
Gary MacDougall, 70, is embroiled in a bitter High Court dispute with his sister Sandra Thomas, 65, over their mother's substantial £5 million estate. He claims he was unjustly cut out of the inheritance and that Sandra and her husband Philip plundered £1.685 million while their mother was still alive.
Will Changes and Alleged Undue Influence
Jeanne MacDougall, the siblings' mother, passed away in April 2020. Gary expected to share her fortune equally with Sandra under a 2008 will, which provided a broadly equal split. However, a new will in 2011 left Gary with "nil" to inherit, transferring all four family properties to Sandra and Philip, along with most of Jeanne's savings.
Gary is now suing to overturn the 2011 will, arguing it is invalid due to undue influence. He alleges Sandra and Philip exploited Jeanne's declining mental capacity, as she suffered from dementia and lost independence in her later years. "She had by then lost almost all of her independence," he contends, claiming she lacked the necessary mental capacity to understand the will's effects.
Claims of Misappropriation and Property Gifts
Beyond the will dispute, Gary accuses his sister and brother-in-law of misappropriating £1.685 million from Jeanne's bank accounts between 2012 and 2020, while they held power of attorney. He says this money was spent on themselves and their family, reducing Jeanne's estate from an estimated £5 million to £2.5 million at her death.
Additionally, Gary challenges a 2015 gift of a £1.7 million house on Avenue Crescent to Sandra and Philip. He asserts the property was promised to him and that Jeanne lacked the mental capacity to make such a gift at the time. Sandra values the house at under £1 million, but Gary insists it was part of a pattern of unfair treatment.
Denial of Disinheritance Due to Affair
During the trial, lawyers for Sandra suggested Jeanne cut Gary out of the will because she was "ashamed" of his admitted affair with a local council worker in 2008. They argued that Jeanne, belonging to an older, more traditional generation, was disappointed in her son and supported his wife Anna amid the infidelity.
Gary strongly denied this, testifying that his mother would have confronted him directly if angry. "If she was cross with me, mum would've let me know. She would've given me both barrels," he said, noting the affair occurred before the 2008 will, which initially included him equally.
Family Background and Financial Disparities
The MacDougall fortune originated from their father Alec MacDougall's property development business, which focused on renovating and renting properties in Acton and Ealing, west London. Gary worked in the family business and later became its sole owner, accumulating assets including rental properties, a holiday home in Cyprus, and a countryside oast house.
Sandra's lawyers highlighted this, arguing Jeanne considered the benefits Gary had already received when making her final will. However, Gary countered that his success resulted from hard work, while Sandra and Philip lived "the life of luxury" without similar effort.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
The trial continues as Judge Nicola Rushton KC hears evidence from both sides. Gary's barrister, Harry Martin, maintains that the 2011 will and property gifts were procured through undue influence and that Jeanne lacked capacity, seeking to restore what he views as a fair inheritance split.
This case underscores the complexities of family disputes over substantial estates, blending allegations of financial misconduct with emotional tensions over past actions and relationships.
