Grasping son has power of attorney removed

A 62-year-old retired financial consultant, reported only as 'Martin' from Gerrard’s Cross in Buckinghamshire,, charged is Mum £400 each time he visited her at the Hertfordshire care home where she resided.

This week Senior Judge Denzil Lush told the Court of Protection "One would be hard pressed to find a more callous and calculating attorney, who has so flagrantly abused his position of trust" as the court removed power of attorney from this greedy man.

He was not deterred telling the court it would be pointless making him pay back any of the money he had grabbed as 'sooner rather than later' the money would be his.

His Mum 'Sheila' 87 has dementia.

The son regularly refused to pay for services such as chiropody and hair colouring, telling the woman's care team "I don’t think she needs [hair] colour tinting." He also thought paying for toiletries for his mum was step too far but was more than happy to bill his mum for visits and services as if she were just another 'client'.

---

The court heard he claimed nearly £120,000 in "expenses" from his mother's estate but failed to pay £29,000 worth of care home fees.

According to a Mail Online report;

The court heard that Martin had paid himself £49,143.19 of his mother’s money for time he had spent on a dispute with a Welsh NHS board, which he said should have paid her care home fees. When the NHS Board conceded the case and reimbursed the fees, Martin paid the £68,146.26 cheque to himself, ‘in part payment for the costs he had incurred.’One would be hard pressed to find a more callous and calculating attorney, who has so flagrantly abused his position of trust.

Senior Judge Denzil Lush, Court of ProtectionMiss Farley said the total of £117,289.45 was ‘an excessive amount to claim for out of pocket expenses.’

Martin also owed the Herefordshire care home £496.50 for personal care provided for his mother since June 2014.

He told the court: ‘We get charged a lot for toiletries. I also don’t think she needs colour tinting. I know these are small points. I paid the charges in 2014 and I was going to pay them this year.’

Opinion: This complacent, callous son could easily come a cropper.

It is possible that his 87-year-old Mum could outlive him. He could develop any number of illnesses before she dies including dementia.

It is a pity that the court did not name and shame the 'rat' in this case.

In court this week the judge said "The panel deputy will, for the first time in eleven years, place Sheila at the centre of the decision-making process, rather than view the preservation and enhancement of Martin’s inheritance as the paramount consideration."

Go on Sheila-have a ball and spend, spend, spend!

Alzheimer's financial advice