Forger of will facing prison

AN Oldham man has admitted forging the will of an 82-year-old relative from Cumbria.

Dean Benson (45) also admitted stealing more than £7,000 from the man, whose Workington family he had married into.

Benson, of Thistle Way, Oldham, pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court to one charge of forgery and two of theft, of £5,000 and £2,287.

Benson admitted his guilt only after a jury had been sworn in for his trial.

Until then he had denied doing anything wrong.

But Judge Paul Batty QC, telling the jury why their services were no longer needed even though they had heard none of the evidence, said: “You may think it has been a complete waste of time, but had he not been facing you we would probably not have got to this stage, so you have fulfilled a very important function.”

Benson was granted bail for pre-sentence reports, on condition that he sticks to a 9pm to 7am curfew at his home and reports twice a week to his local police.

He will be sentenced on January 29.

Judge Batty warned him he was at serious risk of going to prison, adding: “This was mean and it was a breach of the trust of a vulnerable and elderly man.”