Judge hands a cottage to millionaire’s partner, 79, left out of will

AN ELDERLY woman who was left nothing in her millionaire partner’s will has been saved from poverty by a judge.

Joan Thompson, 79, lived as man and wife with Wynford Hodge for 42 years before his death, aged 94, in 2017.

Mr Hodge, who owned Parsonage Farm and Caravan Park in Amroth, Pembrokeshire – along with land and other properties – was worth more than £1.5million when he died.

But he left Mrs Thompson nothing, instead bequeathing everything to two of his tenants who had been kind to him in his final years.

In a letter attached to his will, Mr Hodge was adamant he did not want Mrs Thompson or her four children to inherit any of his fortune.

Describing Mrs Thompson as ‘financially comfortable’, he said she had ‘ her own finances’ and would have no need for the money.

But Judge Milwyn Jarman said that was a ‘mistake’ and Mrs Thompson had in fact been left with only about £2,500 in savings.

Reluctantly living on benefits in a nursing home, she wanted to return to the family estate where she had friends on the caravan park.

Now, in a rare decision, Judge Jarman has ruled Mr Hodge failed to match up to his responsibilities to his long-term partner.

And he effectively re-wrote the wealthy businessman’s will by awarding Mrs Thompson a cottage on the estate worth £225,000.

She will also receive almost £190,000 in cash to pay for the cottage’s refurbishment and to provide her with ongoing financial support.

Mr Hodge, who had prostate cancer, made more than ten wills before his death, the High Court in Cardiff heard. In hospital shortly before he died, he told Mrs Thompson ‘not to worry as she would be well looked after’, the judge said.

But, in the last will he signed in December 2016, Mr Hodge left everything he had to his tenants, Karla Evans and Agon Berisha.

Working as subsistence market gardeners and on the caravan park, the couple, who have two young children, became instant millionaires on Mr Hodge’s death.

They rented a house called Penffordd, in Narberth, from Mr Hodge, doing unpaid errands for him and helping with his shopping.

But, when asked, Miss Evans said she didn’t want to be a millionaire and would be happy with an annual holiday and enough money to bring up her children.

Judge Jarman said that, even after his ruling, the couple would receive ‘by far the major part’ of Mr Hodge’s seven-figure estate.

But the landowner’s belief that Mrs Thompson would need no financial support after his death was simply not right, he said.

She and her son, Dean, then a young boy, moved into a caravan at Parsonage Farm in the 1970s and into the farmhouse with Mr Hodge soon afterwards. She worked on the farm and on the caravan site without pay and helped care for Mr Hodge’s mother, the judge said. They were together for more than 40 years and, after Mr Hodge’s health began to fail, she acted as his main carer.

Mrs Thompson had a serious stroke about 12 years ago and had suffered heart attacks since then, the court heard. Since Mr Hodge’s death her only income had been benefits of little more than £1,000 per month.

Mrs Thompson, who gave evidence from a wheelchair, said she was determined to leave the nursing home and return to the family estate. Granting her wish, Judge Jarman said that, by disinheriting her, Mr Hodge had failed to meet the ‘obligations and responsibilities’ he owed her.

He ordered that a property called Elidyr Cottage should be transferred to her, where she can be looked after by her son and his wife.

Mrs Thompson will also receive almost £30,000 to pay for the cottage’s refurbishment, and £160,000 to cover future expenses.

‘Only about £2,500 in savings’