Forger misspelt brother’s name on mother’s will

A MAN who forged his mother’s will was caught when he spelled his brother’s name incorrectly.

Businessman Stewart Caygill stole money from his mother Theresa’s bank account before her death aged 84 and then made himself the main beneficiary of her estate so he would get a greater share of her home.

Caygill, 53, who once charged his mother £4,000 for mowing the lawn at her home in Horden, County Durham, did not count on his brother turning amateur detective to expose him.

Philip Caygill, a businessman in property and construction, realised the will was bogus because the signature was wrong and his name had an extra “l”.

Last night he said: “My mum was PA at a big company and would never allow a letter to leave the office without the i’s being dotted and the t’s being crossed.

“There is no way on earth she would have got the spelling of my name wrong.

“She was meticulous –- a proper stickler for things being done in the right way.”

Stewart Caygill was jailed for four years for forgery and using a false instrument. Judge Deborah Sherwin told him: “I am left with the feeling I am unable to believe a word you say about anything, and you are scheming, devious, deceitful and opportunistic.”

During the trial at Teesside Crown Court Caygill disputed having had produced fake text messages – said to have been sent by his brother.

Philip Caygill produced letters to show his mother’s handwriting, and an expert dismissed the signature on the fake will.

Philip, 54, said: “My mum told me he was stealing from her for years beforehand, but he threatened to stop cutting the grass and her seeing his daughter.

“At her age, she could not face all the trouble.

“The fake will made no mention of the grandchildren, not to mention the various charities she supported. She loved her dogs and if there was a genuine will they would have come before anything else.”

The forged will handed the grandmother’s share of the family home to Caygill along with his own, and her jewellery to his wife, Nikola.

William Byrne, mitigating, said Caygill described the forgery had been “a major moment of madness”.