Court declares will invalid after video shows daughter physically forcing mother to sign documents before her death.

An electrician has emerged victorious in a legal battle over his late mother’s estate, following the revelation of a video in which his sister appears to physically manipulate their dying mother’s hand as she signs a will. Margaret Baverstock, aged 76, was gravely ill in March 2021 when she signed a will leaving her entire estate to her daughter, Lisa, excluding her son, John.

John Baverstock, now 61, challenged the validity of the will, arguing that the signing was not a genuine, independent act by his mother. The video footage, presented as evidence in court, showed Lisa Baverstock guiding and physically controlling their mother’s hand as she marked her signature on the document. The footage raised concerns about Margaret’s ability to understand what she was signing, as she was suffering from advanced dementia and other health issues.

The court heard that Margaret could hardly respond, let alone comprehend the contents of the will. She could only manage to make non-verbal noises like “yeah” or a grunt when questioned. In light of this, Judge Jane Evans-Gordon ruled that the will was invalid. The judge concluded that Margaret was incapable of independently signing the will, and that her daughter had manipulated the situation, physically forcing her hand to mark the document.

The will, drafted by Lisa and printed from an online template, had left John with nothing from his mother’s £700,000 estate. John claimed that his sister had grown resentful and excluded him from their mother’s care in her final years, which led to a significant family dispute.

Lisa, who had been living with her mother to provide 24/7 care, argued that her mother was mentally clear and had expressed her desire to leave everything to her. However, the judge found that the will was not executed properly, and Margaret did not possess the necessary mental capacity to understand or approve its contents.

As a result of the ruling, the court declared that Margaret had died without a valid will, and her estate would be divided equally between John and Lisa. Additionally, Lisa was ordered to cover John’s legal costs, which are expected to amount to around £80,000.