Brothers 'used ill aunt's money as private bank'
Two middle-aged brothers have been censured after a judge was told that they treated a sick elderly aunt’s money as “their own private bank”.
The 86-year-old Cavan woman, who has dementia and lives in a care home in England, gave her nephews the power to act as her attorney seven years ago, Judge Denzil Lush was told.
But a local authority with responsibility for the pensioner’s welfare raised concerns about the way the woman’s finances were being handled and an investigation was launched.
Detail of the case has emerged in a written ruling by the judge following a hearing in Court of Protection – which handles cases involving sick and vulnerable people – in London.
Judge Lush concluded that the two men breached their fiduciary duties and revoked their power to act as the pensioner’s attorney.
The judge did not identify any of the people involved.
But he named the local authority with responsibility for the welfare of the pensioner as the London Borough of Brent.
The pensioner was born in County Cavan and moved to England in her 30s. She lives in a care home in Kingsbury, north west London, he said.
Judge Lush said the nephews were both born in the early 1960s. He said the elder was a plasterer who lives in Kingsbury and the younger a quantity surveyor who lives in West Yorkshire.
