‘Black widow’ who married man on his death bed just eight days before he died is jailed for stealing his grandchild’s inheritance 

  • Judith Brown married Roy Mitchell just eight days before he died of cancer
  • Mr Mitchell, 66, changed his will to her name in the weeks before his death 
  • Brown-Mitchell was supposed to give £60,000 to his four grandchildren 
  • But she stole £15,000 and spent it on 'shopping and entertaining herself' 
  • 'Black widow' also 'squandered' another £100,000 from Mr Mitchell's estate 
  • Judge says Brown-Mitchell's defence of her actions was 'incredible' 
  • She was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to stealing from a minor
By Ollie Gillman for MailOnline
Published: 07:26 EST, 12 March 2015 | Updated: 09:26 EST, 12 March 2015


Judith Brown-Mitchell married Roy Mitchell eight days before he died and then stole £15,000 of his granddaughter's inheritance
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Judith Brown-Mitchell married Roy Mitchell eight days before he died and then stole £15,000 of his granddaughter's inheritance
A 'black widow' who married a man on his death bed just eight days before he died has been jailed for stealing his granddaughter's inheritance.
Judith Brown, 55, wed Roy Mitchell, 66, just over a week before he died after a long illness in 2011, but he changed his will so she would be the main beneficiary and trustee.
Of Mr Mitchell's £180,000 estate, £60,000 was supposed to be divided between his four grandchildren to be spent on their education - but the widow stole £15,000.
Brown-Mitchell, as she became known after she married, was Mr Mitchell's carer as he battled bowel cancer in 2011.
He changed his will at the end of August that year and the pair, who met in 2006, married days later - but the then terminally ill man's family were not invited and were only told of the marriage by text message. 
Mr Mitchell's family also had no idea his will had been changed in Mitchell-Brown's favour until he died.
After his death on September 10, 2011, Brown-Mitchell, of Haverthwaite, Cumbria, should have handed over £60,000 for the children's education but refused to do so, Preston Crown Court heard.
Eventually £45,000 of this was seized after a previous court hearing, but the rest of the inheritance - meant for the eldest granddaughter - was 'squandered', as well as a further £100,000 spent on 'shopping and entertaining herself'.
Judge Howard Bentham criticised Brown-Mitchell for stealing £15,000 from a minor as he jailed her for two years.
He said the defence of her actions was 'incredible' and said she had 'wilfully and deliberately' failed in her actions as a trustee. 
Jeremy Grout-Smith, prosecuting, told the court how Brown-Mitchell, who fostered young offenders before being struck down with multiple sclerosis, had pleaded guilty to the theft of £15,000 between September 2011 and October 2014.
He said she had struck up a friendship with Mr Mitchell in 2006 and when he had fallen ill had become his carer.
'Black widow': Brown-Mitchell married Mr Mitchell on his deathbed, with his family only finding out about the wedding by text message
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'Black widow': Brown-Mitchell married Mr Mitchell on his deathbed, with his family only finding out about the wedding by text message
Mr Mitchell, 66, pictured with his daughter Nina, died in 2011 after losing his battle with bowel cancer
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Mr Mitchell, 66, pictured with his daughter Nina, died in 2011 after losing his battle with bowel cancer
Mr Grout-Smith said: 'He didn't want to die in hospital so he moved into her home and at weekends they would go to his caravan on the Holker Estate. He had bought a caravan there because of his love of the Lake District.
'He changed his will on August 31, 2011 and married the defendant in a deathbed marriage on September 2. He died eight days later.
Brown-Mitchell was jailed for two years for stealing from a minor
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Brown-Mitchell was jailed for two years for stealing from a minor
'She was the executor and trustee of the will and was to give a legacy of £15,000 to each of the four grandchildren, which they would get once they reached the age of 18.
'He had left his estate, valued at £180,000, to the defendant.'
Mr Grout-Smith added that the cash was never handed over and a long legal battle ensued. In the meantime Brown-Mitchell had been convicted of benefit fraud after failing to declare the inheritance.
Donna Mitchell, the deceased's daughter, said in her impact statement: '[Brown-Mitchell] isolated him from us and his friends. She married him when he was dying and he changed his will. We never got to see him again as by the time we did he was in and out of consciousness.
'She has shown no remorse and doesn't seem to care.'
But Laura Heywood, defending the 'black widow', said that Mr Mitchell's relationship with his daughters had deteriorated.
She said: 'It wasn't all happy families at all. Brown-Mitchell had put £45,000 in a 10-year plan to safeguard it and was keeping the other £15,000 as the eldest grandchild would be 18 before that plan matured.
'She has ended up depressed by the way she has been pursued by the family. She thinks she also had a breakdown as one day she bought 36 cans of cat food and she doesn't even own a cat.
'Her strongest mitigation is that she pleaded guilty. She is remorseful for what happened. She never intended to spend this money but she has used it on the cost of general living.'
Nina Taylor (left), Mr Mitchell's (right) daughter, said the family referred to Mitchell-Brown as a 'black widow' as they cannot bear to say her name
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Nina Taylor (left), Mr Mitchell's (right) daughter, said the family referred to Mitchell-Brown as a 'black widow' as they cannot bear to say her name
After Mr Mitchell's (centre right) death in September 2011, Brown-Mitchell should have handed over £60,000 for the children's education but refused to do so
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After Mr Mitchell's (centre right) death in September 2011, Brown-Mitchell should have handed over £60,000 for the children's education but refused to do so
Judge Bentham said: 'I am sentencing you for stealing £15,000 from a minor when you were trustee of the estate.
'You have squandered £100,000 from the estate and you have wilfully and deliberately failed in your actions as a trustee.
'Your defence was incredible. You will go to prison for two years.'
Brown-Mitchell remained emotionless as she was led away to the cells.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Mitchell's 17-year-old granddaughter Charlotte - who was due the stolen money - sobbed as she described how she missed her granddad and the trauma the case had caused.
She said: 'I'm so glad it's all over. I'm happy she has gone to prison after what she did.
'She has caused so much pain and heartache for our family.'
Mr Mitchell's daughter Nina Taylor, 42, said: 'This has been a very long and traumatic time for me and my family causing a great loss of money to us along with the children.
'I have been off work due to anxiety and panic attacks on medication for stress. 
'For the past three-and-a-half years my sister and myself have spent time going to civil court due to inheritance my father left for his four grandchildren. 
'Mrs Brown-Mitchell was a friend of my father's for a number of years though I believe that she knew my father had a long-term illness. She tried to cut off my father's family and friends. 
'Due to a court order we did manage to take over a policy in Mrs Brown Mitchell's name of £45,000 without her consent but still there was £15,000 missing and also costs of £10,000 approximately which have not been paid. 
'This has been a very traumatic time for myself, my sister our families and the grandchildren.' 
Daughters Mrs Taylor (left) and Donna Mitchell (right) said the last three-and-a-half years had been 'traumatic'
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Daughters Mrs Taylor (left) and Donna Mitchell (right) said the last three-and-a-half years had been 'traumatic'
Mrs Taylor, a teaching assistant from Warrington, added: 'I believe that she played on my father and whilst he was very ill turned him against us.
'This is a heartbreaking situation that Mrs Brown-Mitchell has caused. We call her the black widow as we can't stand to say her name.
'I have trouble sleeping at night as this situation is constantly playing on my mind and have also been prescribed sleeping tablets.
'I cannot think about anything else, I am unable to trust people and my children cannot understand how an adult can do such a disgusting thing and possibly get away with it.
'My daughter Charlotte is due to go to university and my father's wishes were that the grandchildren use their inheritance for property or education. As Charlotte's is the missing money she will be unable to use this.' 
She added: 'We can now get on with our lives. I have no sympathy for her. She's a black widow and deserves all she gets.
'I would say that I hope she rots in hell but we got justice and that's all that matters. She took our dad away from us.'