The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Woman ready to risk contempt charge in feud with ex-partner
dispute: Woman claims court action seeking to force her to reveal financial documents is ‘harassment’
Lawyers forced entry to an 81-year-old Dundee woman’s home while her 102-year-old mum suffered a mini-stroke in the front room.
A locksmith was called to the Douglas house to allow court-appointed officers search the premises as part of a civil case around ownership of a house in Brechin.
The 81-year-old is being pursued by the ex-partner of her 56-year-old daughter, who claims he lent her money to purchase the 102-year-old’s house in Brechin.
However, the woman claims she was the victim of domestic abuse and that her mother had used her own savings to purchase the former council property.
She says he even sent a letter claiming her centenarian grandmother had died and demanding £50,000 from the proceeds of her estate.
The 56-year-old woman said she believes the court action is just the latest case of “harassment” and is willing to risk being found in contempt of court by refusing to comply with demands to provide financial information
“I’ve got a duty of care to my family... As soon as my mother said she didn’t want to answer their questions they should have left
She said she had refused entry because her 102-year-old grandmother was on the commode in the living room when they arrived and her mother, who has had prostate cancer, was also unwell.
She said she refused to divulge details of her mother’s bank details as she did not have permission to do so.
The Courier was present as the locksmith removed the front door handle and lock so a court-appointed commissioner and other solicitors could gain access to the property.
They then spent more than two hours rifling through the house searching for bank statements or cards.
They searched through bedrooms, cupboards, the attic and even through boxes of adult nappies.
They left with nothing but some shredded paper.
The granddaughter said they did not want to break the law but did not want to “aid and abet” a lie.
She added: “Even if his story was true this is horrific.
“My mother is unwell so I can’t just give them the answers they are wanting.”
And she said she refused entry yesterday morning because her gran was suffering a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini stroke.
Her mother was also treated by a doctor after taking ill during the search.
“I’ve got a duty of care to my family,” the woman added.
“As soon as my mother said she didn’t want to answer their questions they should have left.”
The lock was later replaced.