Latest news with #GeraldHill
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Pontardawe: Fraud mum Katherine Hill's daughters on inheritance theft trauma
Two sisters whose mother went from being their best friend to stealing their £50,000 inheritance say they have been left feeling anxious and unable to trust Hill, 53, from Alltwen in Pontardawe, Neath Port Talbot, and her 93-year-old father Gerald Hill from Fairwood in Swansea were found guilty of fraud by abuse of power after a trial last were sentenced to 30 months in prison and a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, respectively. On Monday, Hill was ordered to repay the money, which was left to her daughters Gemma and Jessica Thomas by their grandmother Margaret Hill."I'll never have a relationship with my mother now," said Jessica. Swansea Crown Court previously heard, due to inflation, the sum stolen by the "greedy and spiteful" Hills was now worth about £65, Hill put the money in an instant access Barclays Everyday Saver account, despite being advised not to, and both she and her dad had cards to access it - draining the contents within a March 2016 and March 2017, the account where the money was held was emptied in 10 withdrawals, with £35,000 withdrawn in three transactions alone, the court heard. Gemma and Jessica grew up in Neath Port Talbot with their parents, and said Hill was a "good mother"."She was like my best friend", said Gemma, now 26, adding "no-one saw this coming".She said Hill did not have a good relationship with her own mother Margaret Hill - who split from her father when Hill was a teenager - though the girls did not know why. Margaret Hill died in 2014, while [Katherine] Hill was divorcing the girls' father, Chris the time Jessica was just 12 and not told about the inheritance, but Gemma, who was 15 "understood a little bit more".The £50,000 was placed in a trust fund with their mother as a trustee - to be accessed when they were the divorce, the girls stayed living with their mother for about six months, but say she would often leave them alone for long periods of time while she visited her new boyfriend."It would start where she was going on dates and stuff. And I think I was at that perfect age of 'my mother's going out for the night, I can have friends over', and I was kind of loving it for a while," said Gemma."But it got to the point where it was happening every weekend and people expected that I wasn't going to have a parent at home, and I would be like, 'please will you stay home this one time?'."Mr Thomas decided his daughters would be better living with him, so the girls moved out of their family home and with him, while Hill moved in with her current partner, Phillip Lloyd. The sisters said their mum would sometimes take them out on a weekend, to a pub or McDonalds, but the conversation would often centre around their father and her upset that they left."I think she just could never get over the fact that we were choosing to live with him over her," said said it was "clear from then that we weren't really a very important thing to her"."I remember when she came to see me on my 13th birthday, and took me out for the day, saying she had to leave early because she was going out with [her boyfriend] and his family."It wasn't like she'd spend a lot of money on us... not 50 grand's worth, anyway." They said, looking back, there were signs of extravagance from Hill and her partner, such as building a back garden pub and hot tub, and going on nothing set off alarm bells, as Hill had also received her own money from her late the girls said, they know it was really them paying for their mum's was when Gemma phoned her mum to ask about accessing the money early, as she planned to buy their childhood home from their dad, that the claims the inheritance never existed said her mum told her "the money's not yours" and blocked her number, before later claiming in court it had been posted through the girls' letterboxes. Jessica, who is now a nurse, recalled the shock of discovering the money existed, and then immediately that it was gone."How can you grieve something you never had? But [also] she's robbed me of an opportunity not a lot of people get."She and her boyfriend currently live with his parents, and she said saving up to move out without her inheritance would take a very long said she was angry, adding she found it frustrating the more time went on and the more Hill said the initial confusion and hurt was hard, given their happy memories of their mum, and the woman she saw in court did not seem like the same person."I'd sit there and be like, 'What if we're all wrong? What if she hasn't done it?'"But I have to accept that she has." Gemma said giving evidence in court was stressful, but the relief came more from feeling validated, than from money or the sentences."When it actually was the case that she was being sent down... it was like we were being told that we're not crazy," she girls said they saw people on social media claiming they were in prison with their mum and she "was still saying that she was innocent". "And people would believe in her... that's the most shocking thing to me," said Jessica. "Even though the relationship had started to break down before this, it could have possibly been fixed, whereas we're at that point now that we'll never go back to how we used to be."She added their mum had "showed no remorse for anything she did". "She would look at me while we were standing up giving evidence, and she was shaking her head as if I was the one telling lies," she said."It's like she'll never take responsibility for what she's done." Jessica said she had been going to counselling for many years, to address "massive issues with trust", while Gemma said she became "very needy in friendships"."[I thought] 'if my mother doesn't love me, who the hell is going to love me?'"Now a mother herself to a two-month-old boy, she said she saw the betrayal on a new level."I came home [after court] on Monday and I was feeding my son. I was looking at him, and I was like, I could not go 10 days, not even 10 hours really, without knowing how he was or what was going on in his life. Never mind the past 10 years."It doesn't make any sense, she's missing out on all of that."Jessica was still living and working in the same area as her mum brought her anxiety and she lived with a tic, which a doctor told her had been triggered by trauma."The whole thing has just had a massive effect on me, mentally and physically." She added she did not know how they would have coped without each other, or their father, who supported them emotionally and financially through the long legal with the result they wanted, they hope they will eventually see the money and "let go of this part of our lives".They say they want to forget their mother, and the end of court proceedings has brought a kind of closure, allowing them to "finally breathe".
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Mother ordered to repay £50k inheritance she stole from daughters
A mother has been ordered to repay £50,000 she stole from her daughters, which had been bestowed on them in their grandmother's will. Katherine Hill, 54, and her father Gerald Hill, 94, from south Wales, were said to have acted out of 'greed and spite' in staging the 'blatant and brazen' theft. Margaret Hill had intended to place the money in a trust for her grandchildren, Gemma and Jessica Thomas, which could be accessed on their 25th birthdays. Katherine and Gerald were made trustees of the account when Mrs Hill died in 2013 and secretly drained the account in just over a year. The deceit was only discovered in 2018 when one of the daughters sought to access the money early to buy a house with her boyfriend, which was allowed under the terms of the will. Prosecutors said the withdrawals had been made either by Katherine, who worked at Lloyds Bank, or by their father acting as a 'useful stooge'. Gerald claimed he had posted the cash to his grandchildren in envelopes but the daughters claimed to have never received a penny. The pair were found guilty of fraud by abuse of position last year, with Katherine sentenced to 30 months in prison, of which she served half in custody, and Gerald received a 12-month suspended sentence. The judge told Katherine she stole the money because she was 'so annoyed that your daughters received more money than you, that you took their inheritance'. They returned to Swansea Crown Court for a proceeds of crime hearing. James Hartson, prosecuting, said Katherine had initially told investigators she had a 50 per cent equity share in her partner's home after paying the mortgage for nine years. She later withdrew the claim and said she had no equitable right to the house, with Mr Hartson saying the move was a 'thoroughly dishonest' attempt to avoid payment. Judge Greg Bull KC ruled in favour of the prosecution, saying Katherine had 'laundered' some of her daughters' money by paying her partner's mortgage. He said Katherine and Phillip Lloyd, a window cleaner, 'lived together as man and wife' and she could repay her daughters by raising equity from their home. Mr 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.' Mr Bull added: '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.' Katherine was told she must pay £50,000 in three months or face six months' imprisonment in default, while Gerald was ordered to pay £6,000 for his part in the fraud or face three months in prison.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Fraudster mum must repay £50,000 she stole from daughters
A mother has been ordered to pay back £50,000 inheritance she stole from her two daughters. Katherine Hill, 53, from Alltwen in Pontardawe, Neath Port Talbot, and her 93-year-old father Gerald Hill, from Fairwood in Swansea, were found guilty of fraud by abuse of power after a trial last were sentenced to 30 months in prison and a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, £50,000 inheritance was left to Gemma and Jessica Thomas by their grandmother Margaret Hill in a trust for their 25th birthdays. On Monday, at a proceeds of crime hearing, Swansea Crown Court heard that due to inflation the sum stolen by their "greedy and spiteful" mother and grandfather was now worth about £65, Hill died in 2013, when Jessica was 12 and Gemma was 15, and placed the money in a trust managed in part by their she and her dad lied and said they posted cash in envelopes through the girls' judge told Hill she stole the money because she was "so annoyed that your daughters received more money than you".Hill put the money in an instant access Barclays Everyday Saver account, despite being advised not to, and both she and her dad had cards to access it. Within 12 month, most of the £50,000 had been withdrawn by the fraudsters, but their crime was only uncovered in 2018 when one of her daughters asked for her money early so she could buy a house with her boyfriend. After the trial, Recorder Greg Bull KC said Hill had "laundered" some of her daughters' money by paying her partner's said Ms Hill and window cleaner Phillip Lloyd "lived together as man and wife" and she could repay her daughters by raising equity from their home."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," he added."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." He added that the money was used to pay their mortgage and utility bills, as well as enjoying a lifestyles they would not otherwise be able to afford. Hill was told she must repay £50,000 within three months or face another six months prison while her father was ordered to pay £6,000 for his part in the fraud or face three months in court heard if neither of the Hills pay, they will be jailed but their debts would not be cleared.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Mother, 54, who 'looted' £50,000 from her own daughters' trust that had been left to them in their grandmother's will must pay back every penny
A 'greedy' mother has been ordered to pay back the £50,000 inheritance she stole from her daughters that was left to them in their grandmother's will. Katherine Hill, 54, and her father Gerald Hill, 94, from south Wales, acted out of 'greed and spite' in taking the sum left for her daughters Gemma and Jessica Thomas. The £50,000 bequest was made for them by their grandmother Margaret Hill on the provision that they could access it when they turned 25 or wanted to buy a house. One of the girls then asked for access to the cash and discovered it was gone. Katherine and her father were trustees of the account when Margaret died in 2013, but they both raided the account of every penny in the space of a year. They were both last year found guilty of fraud by abuse of position with Katherine sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, where she served half in custody and half on licence. Gerald Hill was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. 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. Katherine Hill's daughters Gemma (left) and Jessica Thomas (right) lost their £50,000 inheritance thanks to their mother and grandfather's actions 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 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. In a victim impact statement read at Swansea Crown Court following the Hills' conviction, Jessica Thomas said she found it difficult how her family could cause her so much 'harm and pain' and the fact that they can lie so easily 'scares' her. The qualified nurse added: 'Financially, my life has been affected more than I thought.' In a written statement, her sister Gemma said that their actions have caused her to be in debt and 'it's been a great deal of emotional and financial stress.' She added that she feels 'let down and lied to' by two people who are meant to be her 'blood and family.' The withdrawals, made over the course of a year, included one for £15,000 and others for £10,000 - along with a single bank transfer of £2,300 directly into Katherine Hill's account. She claimed that transaction was used to pay for the family's boxer dog operation which Jessica had agreed to, adding that smaller amounts of money were spent on shopping trips at New Look and Primark on behalf of her daughters. She said: 'It was for their benefit - I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.' The fraud was only identified in 2018 when one of the daughters asked to access her share of the funds early to help buy a house with her boyfriend. Solicitors began a civil investigation into the fund and the police were called in.
The Sun
02-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
‘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. 3 3 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. Sickening moment two school children steal puppy from Glasgow garden 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.
