I am no cheat £50k legacy is for mum's cats
A WOMAN accused of hiding a £50,000 inheritance so she could continue claiming benefits walked free from court yesterday after proving she spent the windfall on her mother’s beloved cats.
Marlene Howes kept the money in a special “cats’ account” to buy the pets fresh meat from the butcher and
cover their vets’ bills according to her late mother’s wishes.
Fraud investigators had accused Mrs Howes of falsely claiming £22,000 in pension credits for seven years by
not declaring the legacy.
But she successfully argued in court that her mother, Barbara Sutton, left the £50,000 for her 14 Persian cats and
several kittens.
And that before she died in 2005, Mrs Sutton made her promise the cats would go on getting “the best of everything”.
Mrs Howes, of Whitecroft, Glos, received the windfall after she sold her late mother’s house. She then adopted all her pets and brought them to live with her own 25 pedigree Persian cats.
She expressed it verbally to me but she did not put it in writing in her will.
Mrs Howes, 67, was found not guilty of fraud after producing bank statements which showed she only spent
the inheritance on the cats.
They proved she blew £180 a week on them and had spent £30,000 on vet bills.
Gloucester Magistrates’ Court heard how Mrs Howes paid the £50,000 directly into a specially-opened “cat’s
account” but admitted it never dawned on her to notify the Department for Work and Pensions.
District Judge Joti Boparai said it was “remarkable” that one woman could look after so many cats.
She added: “I find the defendant credible and do accept that in her mind what she did was not dishonest and that is the reason she didn’t declare the money. I find her not guilty.
“It is quite clear that from those schedules the defendant was not living an extravagant lifestyle – the cats took most of the money.
“It is quite clear the cats are taking a lot of money and they will continue to do so and soon this money will run
out.”
Mrs Howes denied four charges of making false statements or concealing her true finances to obtain £22,000 in benefits from 2005 to October last year.
She told an earlier hearing: “It wasn’t my money, it was the cats. It was in my name but it was for them.
“The cats had always had the best of everything and my mother wanted that to continue after her death.
“She wanted the money from the sale of her property to go to looking after her animals.
“She expressed it verbally to me but she did not put it in writing in her will.”
Mrs Howes added: “She always paid for the best food. She would go daily to the supermarket or butcher and
get them fresh food.”