Robert Forster
Friends of Robert ‘‘Bob’’ Forster, 78, went to Tokoroa police when Michelle Williams began clearing out his flat while he was critically ill in Tokoroa Hospital after a stroke earlier this year.
‘‘I was pretty sure she was cleaning out his flat for her own benefit,’’ a friend says. Officers tried to speak to Forster, but he was unable to communicate. Tokoroa police say they had no evidence of an offence.
Forster had previously lived in one of Williams’ flats, and then moved into a flat across the road from her in May St. She gained signing authority for Forster’s bank account, and was his ‘‘agent’’ at Work and Income NZ.
The Star-Times has obtained a copy of an agreement between Forster and Williams, which Williams initially claimed gave her power of attorney, and when that was challenged, that it was his will.
The letter, which appears to be in Williams’ handwriting, states that she had been supporting Forster since 2008, doing his housework.
The letter states that Forster has no family in New Zealand, no savings and is on the pension. The ‘‘agreement’’ allows Williams to take care of his funeral arrangements and to do as she sees fit with his possessions – ‘‘Michelle has first choice if there is anything she may want’’.
The letter says Williams will ‘‘take it upon herself to empty and tidy up the flat so it can be returned to Mr Forster’s landlord’’.
It also says: ‘‘To enable that Mr Forster is fully aware of these arrangements and not being bullied into signing any letter that he is not happy with, Michelle will seek a third signature from an independent neighbour.’’
The letter was signed by her and the neighbour, Sonja Pentecost, on August 23 last year – Forster did not sign it until the next day.
Pentecost says Williams brought the letter to her and she signed it without Forster being present, but says she had spoken to him about it previously and ‘‘he didn’t have a problem’’.
Pentecost says she wondered at one point if everything was above board because of Williams’ relationship with Duncan Davidson, another neighbour, but was satisfied her intentions were good because of the amount of time she had spent helping Forster.
Other friends say Williams hardly ever visited him in hospital, despite being his contact person, and when he died in June this year, she couldn’t be found.
Williams got a Work and Income grant for a pauper’s funeral, and had Forster cremated. A friend says Forster would sometimes complain about Williams, and at one point handed over his most valuable possessions, pieces of Swarovski crystal, saying: ‘‘I don’t want that bloody Michelle to get her hands on it.’’
After his death, Williams offered his mobility scooter to another old man for $2000.
The friend says several people in the community were concerned about Williams’ involvement with Forster.
‘‘Because he was quite a lonely man, bad company was better than no company at all.’’