Auden McKenzie (Pharma Division) Ltd v Patel [2020] WTLR 1133

Winter 2020 #181

This was an appeal against summary judgment on a claim for equitable compensation for £13,149,479 plus interest at 2.5% pa compounded annually.

A was a director of R. A and his sister (Ms Patel) had founded R and had been sole directors and (directly and indirectly) owned all of the shares. Between 2009 and 2014, A had caused R to pay £13,763,452 against sham invoices to Dubai companies. The Dubai companies had retained 5-10% of the invoiced sums and paid the balance to A (and Ms Patel’s) personal bank accounts, to them in cash, and to third parties for the purchase of a New York ...

Commissioners for HMRC v Parry & ors [2020] WTLR 1151

Winter 2020 #181

The appellants were the three executors of Mrs Staveley’s estate, two of whom were also her sons. Mrs Staveley held a pension scheme on which she had decided never to draw, with the aim of maximising the death benefit that would accrue to her sons under the scheme. Under the terms of her will, her estate was to be held on trust for her two sons in equal shares. Shortly prior to her death Mrs Staveley had transferred funds from her existing pension scheme into a new personal pension plan (PPP). The motives out of which she had done so were contested between the parties, the appellants all...

Cotterell & anr v Allendale & anr [2020] WTLR 1183

Winter 2020 #181

The claimants as trustees of the Allendale 1949 Settlement applied to extend their administrative powers under s57 of the Trustee Act 1925 and the inherent jurisdiction of the court to include a power to re-appropriate assets between the various sub-funds comprised in the settlement, on the ground that they lacked the power under the settlement and it would be expedient for them to have such power in order to effect a certain tax mitigation strategy.

The claimants further applied for other administrative powers which they lacked to be conferred on them, even thou...

Culliford & anr v Thorpe [2020] WTLR 1205

Winter 2020 #181

The deceased purchased a property in Weston-super-Mare (the Weston property) in his sole name in 2002 with the aid of a mortgage loan. He met the defendant in early 2010 and by the end of the year the defendant had moved into the Weston property with the deceased and it became his main residence. The defendant undertook repair and decoration jobs around the property, including repairing the boiler and decorating the main bedroom, and undertook work for others in return for work on the property by them. The general outgoings for the property and for the lifestyle of the deceased and the d...

Evans v Evans & anr [2020] WTLR 1231

Winter 2020 #181

The claimant was married to the deceased, and was the sole beneficiary of the deceased’s estate. The claimant, who suffered from motor neurone disease and lacked capacity, was represented by her litigation friend, her daughter. The defendants were the executors of the deceased’s estate, and were the sons of the deceased and the claimant, and the brothers of the claimant’s litigation friend.

In contested probate proceedings, the claimant sought, inter alia, an order removing the defendants as executors of the deceased’s estate and the appointment of an independent administrator.

Executors of Cox v Commissioners for HMRC [2020] WTLR 1239

Winter 2020 #181

This case was an appeal against a notice of determination issued by HMRC under s221 Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (IHTA) which had ruled that the deceased’s furnished holiday lettings business did not qualify for business property relief (BPR). The only dispute was whether the business consisted ‘mainly’ of ‘holding investments’ within the meaning of s105(3) IHTA.

The business began in 1989 with one flat and expanded in 1991 and 1996 with the purchase of further flats in the same building. It continued until the deceased’s death on 27 December 2014.

The tribuna...

Fantini v Scrutton & ors [2020] WTLR 1273

Winter 2020 #181

The claim was brought by the executor of the estate of Iris Mary Fantini. Iris and Gloria Fantini were mother and daughter respectively. They jointly owned a property at 7 Merlin Way, Mudeford, Dorset. Gloria predeceased Iris. The application was brought under Part 64 of the CPR to determine whether the joint tenancy was severed by Gloria and whether Iris’s estate’s costs of the claim should be met from the remaining sale proceeds of the property.

On 5 December 2013 Gloria had executed a will and signed a notice purporting to sever the joint tenancy under s36(2) of the

H.M. Attorney General v Zedra Fiduciary Services (UK) Ltd & ors [2020] WTLR 1287

Winter 2020 #181

In 1927 a partner (GF) in Barings Brothers & Co (Barings) transferred cash and securities of almost £500,000 (the National Fund) to Barings in anticipation of the execution of a deed of trust by Barings, which was executed on 9 January 1928 (the deed). Other donors, including Lord Dalziel, subsequently made further contributions to the National Fund. By clause 2 of the deed Barings held the National Fund as trustees upon trust to accumulate income and profits until the date fixed by the trustees as being the date when, either alone or together with other funds then available for the ...

JXM v An NHS Trust [2020] WTLR 1327

Winter 2020 #181

The claimant, who was born in 2013, was subject to a criminal assault by his father such that he needed to attend the defendant’s hospital which, unfortunately, failed to identify non-accidental injuries and discharged him home to the ‘care’ of his parents. A subsequent assault by his father caused devastating brain damage and resulted in a custodial sentence. The defendant admitted liability for the injuries sustained by the claimant through its breach of duty in failing to detect non-accidental injuries and then arranging for investigations to be carried out which would have enabled hi...

Knipe v The British Racing Drivers’ Motor Sport Charity & ors [2020] WTLR 1333

Winter 2020 #181

By clause 8 of his will the deceased gave the residue of his estate to four institutions in various shares, including a gift in clause 8(a) of a 50% share of his residuary estate to ‘the British Racing Drivers Club Benevolent Fund’ and in clause 8(d) of a 10% share to ‘the Cancer Research Fund’.

There was no institution with the name of the British Racing Drivers Club Benevolent Fund. The second defendant, the British Racing Drivers’ Club, was a well-known unincorporated association, but not a registered charity. The only benevolent fund administered by the second defendant was th...