Friends and neighbours who Betty made rich
By Kate Hagan
October 28, 2008
AN ELDERLY Mount Martha spinster with dementia was pressured by neighbours to cut charities from her will and leave her $15 million fortune to them, a court has been told.
Elsbeth "Betty" Dyke lived alone on her 17-hectare property with her five Pomeranian dogs and exotic birds before she died, aged 84, in May 2004.
In a will made in January 2001, she left $5 million each - her entire estate - to neighbours Timothy and Denise Knaggs, Robert and Sandra Allen and Gary and Diane Smith.
But that will is now being challenged in the Supreme Court by charities, friends and a distant relative of Miss Dyke, who claim the neighbours exercised "undue influence" to persuade her to change it in their favour.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Age (Australia)
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An interesting case! Will keep a look-out for the verdict.
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