A devoted daughter who cared for her elderly mother until her death has won an eight-year inheritance battle against her three brothers in a landmark legal ruling. Rita Rea, 61, faced claims from her brothers Remo, Nino and David that she had coerced their mother Anna into cutting them out of her will, leaving her £1 million London home solely to Rita.
The High Court heard that the brothers had been disinherited because they had 'abandoned' their mother and provided little help with her care, while Rita had moved in to look after her. The brothers launched legal action after Anna died in 2016 at age 85, but the Court of Appeal ruled on Friday that Rita had not exerted undue influence over her mother.
The judges stated that such claims are 'inherently improbable', a decision Rita's lawyers say will protect others from accusations by disinherited relatives. Rita, a former tennis coach, said her brothers had put her through 'years of hell' over the 'outrageous' claims. She owes over £280,000 in legal fees.
Her solicitor, Paul Britton, called the ruling 'a good day for those who are there for their loved ones at the end of life – and a bad day for anyone coming out of the woodwork and expecting a quick buck'. The brothers could not be reached for comment.
