‘Greedy & spiteful' mum who ‘looted' £50,000 inheritance left for her two daughters, 12 & 15, by their granny is jailed
A MOTHER was ordered to pay back £50,000 "looted" from her own daughters inheritance left to them in their grandmother's will.
Katherine Hill, 54, and her father Gerald Hill, 94, staged a "blatant and brazen" fraud, taking every penny inherited by the two girls from their beloved gran.
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The sizeable £50,000 inheritance was generously gifted for Gemma and Jessica Thomas by their grandmother Margaret Hill in a trust for their 25th birthdays.
Margaret died in 2013 and placed the money for the two girls in a trust when Jessica was 12 and Gemma was 15.
Katherine Hill and her father Gerald were trustees of the account - but drained it completely within just over a year while the girls were still children.
A court heard that due to inflation the sum stolen by their "greedy and spiteful" mother and grandfather was now worth in the region of £65,000.
But their shameless mother and grandfather tried to lie their way out of it by claiming they posted cash in envelopes through the girls' letterboxes.
However the Hills were found guilty - with Katherine Hill jailed for 30 months and her father handed a 12 month suspended sentence.
The judge told Hill she stole the money because she was 'so annoyed that your daughters received more money than you, that you took their inheritance'.
The court heard Katherine Hill had placed the money into an instant access Barclays Everyday Saver account despite being advised not to.
She and her father both had cards for the account and within 12 months of it opening most of the £50,000 had been withdrawn through cash withdrawals.
The fraud was only realised in 2018 when one of the girls asked for her money early so she could buy a house with her boyfriend.
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The Hills returned to Swansea Crown Court for a Proceeds of Crime Hearing in a bid to claw back their ill-gotten gains.
Prosecutor James Hartson said Hill initially told investigators she had a 50 per cent equity share in her partner's home after paying the mortgage for nine years.
But she later withdrew the claim and said she had no equitable right to the house - with Mr Hartson saying her change of stance was a "thoroughly dishonest" attempt to avoid payment.
Judge, Recorder Greg Bull KC ruled in favour of the prosecution, and said Hill had "laundered" some of her daughters' money by paying her partner's mortgage.
He said Hill and window cleaner Phillip Lloyd "lived together as man and wife" and she could repay her daughters by raising equity from their home.
Recorder Bull said: "It is significant that investigations could not reveal what had happened either to that £50,000, or to what had happened to other relatively substantial sums left to Katherine Hill after her mother's demise.
"She still maintains that she has never received the £50,000. I disbelieve her on that and I find her answer to be totally untruthful.
"Mr Lloyd is fully aware of what happened to that £50,000 and has probably helped her at least launder it, if not enjoy the fruits of her fraud."
Recorder Bull said: "That £50,000 was used for the benefit of both of them, it would have been used to pay the mortgage, it would have been used to pay their utilities, it would have used to enjoy their lifestyles - a lifestyle that they would not have been able to afford."
"This is a couple who lived as man and wife, they shared their income and they shared the money looted by Miss Hill from her daughters."
Katherine Hill was told she must pay £50,000 in three months or face six month prison in default.
Mr Hill was ordered to pay £6,000 for his part in the fraud or face three months in prison.
The court heard if neither of the Hills pay they will be jailed but their debts would not be cleared.
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The proportion of Danish residents who are immigrants, or who have two immigrant parents, has increased more than fivefold since 1985, according to the Migration Policy Institute (MPI).A turning point was ten years ago, during the 2015 European migration and refugee crisis, when well over a million migrants came to Europe, mostly heading to the wealthier north, to countries like Denmark, Sweden and Germany. Slogans like "Danskerne Først" (Danes First) resonated with the electorate. 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Not just honing in on politically sensitive issues like crime and access to benefits but with explicit talk about a zero asylum seekers yet "before the 2015 refugee crisis, there was a stereotype of Nordic countries being very internationalist… and having a welcoming culture for asylum seekers," says Ms Dennison. Then suddenly the reaction was, "No. Our first goal is to provide responsibly for Danish people."The turning-point was, she argues, also triggered by Denmark's neighbour, Germany, allowing a million refugees and others to stay in the country, during the migrant crisis."That was a political choice that had repercussions across Europe." Where Denmark's left came in By 2015 the anti-migration Danish People's Party was the second biggest power in Denmark's parliament. But at the same time, the Social Democrats - under new leader Mette Frederiksen – decided to fight back, making a clear, public break with the party's past reputation of openness to migration."My party should have listened," Frederiksen her leadership, the party tacked towards what's generally seen as the political "far right" in terms of migration and made hardline DPP-associated asylum policies, their own. But they also doubled down on issues more traditionally associated with the left: public pay the highest tax rates in Europe across all household types. They expect top notch public services in return. Frederiksen argued that migration levels threatened social cohesion and social welfare, with the poorest Danes losing out the is how her party justify their tough migration rules. Frederiksen's critics see her 'rightwards swing' as a cynical ploy to get into, and then stay in, power. She insists her party's convictions are sincere. 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The number, as of May 2025, is the lowest in 40 years, according to an online information site for refugees in Nordic Denmark is certainly not what's seen as a frontline state - like Italy - where people smugglers' boats frequently wash up along its shores."Frederiksen is in a favourable geographical position," argues Europe professor, Timothy Garton Ash, from Oxford University. But he also praises Denmark's prime minister for addressing the problem of migration, without adopting "hysterical rhetoric". But others say new legislation has damaged Denmark's reputation for respecting international humanitarian law and the rights of asylum-seekers. Michelle Pace of Chatham House says it has become hard to protect refugees in Denmark, where "the legal goalposts keep moving."Danish citizens with a migrant background have also been made to feel like outsiders, she cites the Social Democrats' "parallel societies" law, which allows the state to sell off or demolish apartment blocks in troubled areas where at least half of residents have a "non-Western" Social Democrats say the law is aimed at improving integration but Ms Pace insists it is alienating. The children of immigrants are told they aren't Danish or a "pure Dane," she February this year, a senior advisor to the EU's top court described the non-Western provision of the Danish law as discriminatory on the basis of ethnic origin. 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The aim is to balance plugging labour market gaps with avoiding strains on public services, by using extra tax revenue from new migrant workers, to build housing and extra classrooms, for now the plan is aspirational. It's too early to judge, if successful, or not. So, who's got it right? "Successful" migration policy depends on what governments, regardless of their political stripe, set as their priority, says Ms Denmark, the first priority is preserving the Danish social system. Italy prioritises offshoring the processing of migrants. While Hungary's prime minister Victor Orban wants strict migrant limits to protect Europe's "Christian roots", he visas is thought to be the most common way migrants enter and stay in Europe without legal recent UK governments have focused on high profile issues like people smugglers' boats crossing the Dennison thinks that's a tactical move. It's taking aim at visible challenges, to "neutralise public anger" she says, in the hope most voters will then support offering asylum to those who need it, and allow some foreign workers into the UK. It would be hard for Starmer to pursue the Denmark approach, she adds. After taking over from previous Conservative governments, he made a point of recommitting the UK to international institutions and international does the 'ideal' migration plan exist, that balances voter concerns, economic needs and humanitarian values?Martin Ruhs, deputy director of the Migration Policy Centre, spends a lot of time asking this question to voters across the UK and the rest of Europe, and thinks the public is often more sophisticated than their politicians. Most prefer a balance, he says: migration limits to protect themselves and their families, but once they feel that's in place, they also favour fair legislation to protect refugees and foreign workers. Top picture credit: SOPA Images via Getty BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.
