Reverend who sued siblings for even larger share of their mother’s £900k loses court docket battle

A church minister who accused her siblings of ganging up on her about their mother’s £900,000 fortune could see her entire inheritance wiped out right after getting rid of a fight for a even bigger share.

Reverend Anne Lettice, 70, sued her 5 brothers and sisters soon after Margaret Lettice died aged 99 in 2019, splitting her fortune concerning all her children and grandchildren.

Rev Lettice, who experienced lived with her mum at her £875,000 north London home, was still left close to £105,000, but insisted she deserved far more funds so she could invest in herself a residence.

She stated the will did not make ‘reasonable provision’ for her and she ought to get a lot more than everyone else, possessing devoted practically two a long time to caring for her elderly mom just after her father Frederick died in 2001.

Reverend Anne Lettice, 70, pictured outside the Substantial court in London as she contested her late mom Margaret’s will 

But a decide has now thrown out Rev Lettice’s assert, telling the reverend her mum ‘had no greater obligations or tasks in direction of (her) than towards any of her other young children and their families’.

Soon after getting rid of the situation, Rev Lettice may possibly have to foot the lawful monthly bill for it.

London’s High Courtroom listened to Rev Lettice, a mother-of-one particular, is a previous psychological wellness nurse, who was ordained as a reverend in the United States and for a lot more than two many years has dedicated her life to God.

She experienced been living in the US when her father Frederick fell ill in 2001 and moved back to London, in which she stayed just after he died, doing work as a bus driver and living with her mum in her property in Haringey.

Rev Lettice advised the court docket she gave up her position and presented ’round-the-clock care’ for her mom, assisting her with her meals, dressing and treatment, and remaining there for whatever she required.

Margaret Lettice’s previous dwelling in north London (pictured) has been at the centre of a Large Court docket row among her daughter Rev Lettice and her 5 youngsters

On the other hand, when Margaret died of most cancers in 2019, Rev Lettice was left dealing with getting thrown out of the residence she had termed house for 17 a long time, she claimed.

Her mum’s will, signed in 2014, ordered the sale of the 4-bedroom property, with the proceeds break up concerning all the people of her six little ones.

Rev Lettice was to get somewhere around £105,000, her brother Brian, 63, and retired nurse sister Linda Lettice, 61, each receiving £149,000, sister Sylvia Ricks, 66, £105,000 and Australia-primarily based brothers Frederick, 72, and 69-yr-old Peter £61,000 each individual.

Margaret’s grandchildren would also gain by receiving shares, so that the will properly break up the proceeds of the residence and a smaller cash sum equally six methods involving her kids’ households.

But the will sparked a bitter fight, with Rev Lettice launching a assert to a even bigger payment from the estate than any of her siblings.

Though she didn’t point out how a great deal she preferred, she claimed she needed a lot more funds than the other people in purchase to invest in herself a new property and address her outgoings.

Brian Lettice, Sylvia Ricks and Linda Lettice exterior the Large Courtroom in London

But barrister Anna Metcalfe, symbolizing Rev Lettice’s siblings, nieces and nephews, claimed Rev Lettice experienced not proved that she needed any much more than the £105,000 she was remaining in her mum’s will.

Margaret had not viewed as herself underneath an obligation to Rev Lettice, acquiring manufactured it very clear in her will that she desired her out of the dwelling so it could be offered when she died, Ms Metcalfe included.

And she said nine members of Margaret’s near spouse and children had given evidence that she was not cared for ’round-the-clock’ by her daughter.

Responding, Rev Lettice explained her family’s assert that she did not present treatment for her mum was a ‘total lie’ and that they experienced ganged up from her to defeat her claim to a payment.

Providing judgment, the judge Deputy Master Katherine McQuail said Rev Anne Lettice experienced not been a ‘satisfactory witness’ and that her associations with her siblings ‘are now damaged and, in each individual scenario, broke down some decades ago.’

Brian Lettice, Sylvia Ricks, Linda Lettice and Nina Ricks exterior the Significant Court docket in London

Addressing statements by Rev Lettice that her siblings experienced colluded to defeat her assert, the decide claimed: ‘I concur that to an extent the siblings and their young children should have compared notes and that is plainly obvious from the phrases of some of the statements.’

But she included: ‘Family members on good terms are very likely to talk to just one an additional about household matters as functions arise and once more in the context of a declare such as the present.

‘I do not contemplate that there was nearly anything underhand in this.’

Margaret experienced been a ‘profoundly impartial woman’ who managed at household ‘without considerable guidance,’ she extra, and Rev Lettice experienced not provided a ‘realistic account’ of what she did in caring for her.

‘I do not conclude that Anne did almost nothing for Margaret, but her account of providing complete time or spherical-the-clock treatment for 17 yrs is basically not credible and was contradicted by her individual oral proof of the involvement of many others,’ she explained.

And Rev Lettice had also failed to demonstrate that she even desired any additional revenue, because examples of retirement flats set in proof confirmed she would have plenty of to buy a person.

‘She has adduced no proof as to where by and how she could possibly be accommodated and given no explanation why living in a retirement setting would be unreasonable, as opposed to not to her liking,’ stated the decide.

‘Accordingly I can not conclude that Anne has founded a routine maintenance have to have for housing in excessive of her inheritance underneath the 2014 will of a sum of close to £100,000.

‘That sum would be adequate to acquire one particular of the retirement flats, particulars of which have been in evidence, and pay out the services demand for some time, or to hire option accommodation.’

She concluded: ‘In my judgment…Anne has not establish that Margaret’s last will fails to make this sort of monetary provision as it would be affordable in all the situations of the circumstance for Anne to acquire for her servicing.’

Her claim to an further payment from her mother’s estate was turned down.

A final decision on what she will have to spend in lawyers’ payments will be designed at a afterwards date.