Father cuts four daughters out of £1m will over delusions; court overturns it

NewsWorld NewsUS NewsA father excluded his four daughters from most of his £1 million estate after believing they were plotting against him; court finds delusions influenced his will and declares it invalid A father excluded his four daughters from most of his £1 million estate after believing they were plotting against him; court finds delusions influenced his will and declares it invalid A father who believed his four daughters were conspiring to have him hospitalised and take control of his property left them just 25% of his estate in a will made while suffering from delusions.

Michael Gwilliam, from Gloucestershire, England, believed his daughters were plotting against him for financial gain and arranged his inheritance accordingly. When he died in February 2022, aged 79, his daughters discovered that most of his estate had been left to other relatives and people close to him.

They challenged the document in court, arguing that their father's mental condition had affected his ability to make decisions about his inheritance. In January 2026, the High Court ruled that his delusions had influenced the will and declared it invalid, allowing his four daughters to inherit under intestacy rules.How a father's relationship with his daughters deteriorated Michael Gwilliam had previously enjoyed a good relationship with his four daughters and his former wife, Christine.

He lived at a farmhouse in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, and had consciously decided against making a will because he wanted his estate to pass to his daughters under the rules of intestacy. However, his behaviour began changing in late 2013.

He became increasingly convinced that neighbours were deliberately harassing him, making noises around his property and attempting to force him to sell his farmhouse.His concerns gradually developed into a wider belief that people were conspiring against him.

He began spending nights outdoors, watching his property and attempting to identify those he believed were responsible.The situation became serious enough for him to be detained under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act in February 2014 for assessment and treatment.

Medical professionals identified persecutory delusions and hallucinations, but Gwilliam did not accept that he was mentally unwell.Why he believed his daughters were plotting against him After his hospitalisation, Gwilliam began suspecting that his daughters, particularly Helen, were involved in a conspiracy against him.He believed they had deliberately arranged for him to be detained so they could take control of his finances and property.

He also accused them of wanting to obtain power of attorney, sell his farmhouse and take possession of his belongings.His beliefs extended to accusations that his daughters had stolen his possessions and medication. He also thought they were attempting to have him declared incapable of managing his own affairs.The court later found that these beliefs had no factual foundation.

His daughters had sought medical intervention because they were concerned about his deteriorating behaviour and wanted him to receive appropriate care.Medical records and evidence from people who knew him showed that his suspicions persisted despite repeated attempts to persuade him that he was mistaken.The will that left his daughters with just 25% of his estate On December 3, 2014, Gwilliam signed his only will, changing the inheritance arrangements he had previously intended.Under the document, 75% of his residuary estate was divided equally between his sister, Sheila Gwilliam, his companion Joan Brooks and his nephews.

His four daughters were collectively allocated the remaining 25%, meaning each would receive 6.25%.The will also contained a forfeiture provision intended to penalise beneficiaries who challenged its validity.The accompanying letter of wishes contained accusations against his daughters.

It claimed they had conspired with their mother to have him detained and wanted to take control of his property and finances.According to the BBC, the estate was valued at between £750,000 and £1 million, making the disputed inheritance particularly significant for the family.What the High Court discovered about his mental condition The four daughters challenged the will, arguing that their father lacked the mental capacity required to make it because his decisions were influenced by fixed delusions.The case, Ginger & Others v Mickleburgh & Others, was heard by the High Court following a seven-day trial in August 2025.Judge HHJ Leslie Blohm KC examined extensive evidence, including medical records, police reports, correspondence, diary entries and testimony from family members and healthcare professionals.The court found that Gwilliam was suffering from late-onset schizophrenia associated with an organic disorder of the brain.

His condition caused fixed beliefs that his neighbours were harassing him and that his daughters were conspiring to take his property.The judge noted that these beliefs continued even when family members and medical professionals attempted to explain that they were unfounded.The court also considered evidence of his increasingly disturbed behaviour, including spending nights outside his home, brandishing an air rifle and making threats against people he believed were responsible for the harassment.The judge concluded that his beliefs about his daughters were not ordinary suspicions or disagreements within a family.

They were delusions that he could not be persuaded to abandon through rational discussion.Why the court declared the will invalid The central legal issue was whether Gwilliam possessed testamentary capacity when he signed the document.The court applied the legal principles established in the 1870 case Banks v Goodfellow.

Under this test, a person making a will must understand the nature and effect of the document, the extent of their property and the claims of people who might reasonably expect to benefit from their...