A ‘rags-to-riches’ property king told his son he would have to ‘paddle his own f****** canoe’ before leaving an £80million fortune to his daughter, a court heard.
Bill Reeves was 47 when Kevin Reeves his property tycoon father left only his personal items. He rewrote the will so that he could leave his majority of his fortune to his sister in 2019, before he died.
Former hairdresser daughter Louise, 35, stood to inherit her father’s Rolls Royce and assets worth up to £80million, while Bill got a clutch of personal effects worth about £200,000.
Bill asserts that there wasn’t any reason his father cut him off and that Bill’s sister was behind it, coercing him to make the “inexplicable” will.
Louise’s lawyers claim that there is ample evidence to suggest that Kevin intended Louise to inherit his empire after he passed away and that Bill, already wealthy, did not require his assistance.
Thomas Dumont QC was her barrister and argued before Mr Justice Michael Green, that Kevin had not discussed the will before signing it.
‘As we now know, Kevin did not discuss his testamentary intentions with Louise prior to making the will, though he told Bill in her hearing that he (Bill) would have to paddle his own f****** canoe’, said the QC.
However, Bill’s lawyers claim the father and his son enjoyed a “good relationship” and Kevin, for whom Kevin was ‘blood thicker than water’ never suggested he wanted to take his son out from his inheritance.
Bill Reeves, (pictured) asserts that there wasn’t any reason for his father to cut him out. His sister may have also been involved in the decision. She coerced Bill into writing the ‘inexplicable will’.
Louise Reeves (pictured), who could get £80million under her father’s will, has been accused of ‘coercing’ Kevin Reeves into leaving her most of his fortune as she is allegedly ‘materialistic’
Kevin Reeves built a vast personal fortune through a £100million property investment business, despite being left as an orphan to a convent as a child, and leaving school by the age of 12.
At the age of 71, he passed away in 2019. Louise was the beneficiary of most of his wealth. He caused the High Court dispute between Louise (her brother) and her.
The court was told last week that Kevin, despite his humble start, had made it through his “ingenuity” and hard work to become very wealthy by the time of his death.
His four children were Louise, Bill and Mark. He also had an estranged older son Mark. Lisa Murray was not aware of her father until her 20s.
He intended to leave 10% of his fortune in a 2012 will to Mark and Mark’s two children. The rest would be split equally between Louise Bill, Bill, and Lisa.
But a new will signed in 2014 reduced Bill’s share from up to £26.6million to only a clutch of personal belongings worth £200,000.
Louise would get 80% of her father’s estate – worth up to £80million – plus land and his Rolls Royce Phantom, with Lisa getting £20million.
Bill now claims the will was made by ‘undue influences’ of Louise. Kevin’s “dominant” daughter had ‘bullied his father into cutting him off.
Property tycoon Mr Reeves (pictured) had four children but left 80 per cent of his £100million fortune to his youngest daughter, Louise, 35, when he died aged 71 in 2019, the court heard
According to him, his Toni- and Guy-trained sister “favors money” and “flash things”. He was motivated by his father’s desire to leave her the lion’s share of his fortune.
However, Mr Dumont stated that a lawyer’s note for the will indicated Kevin thought Bill was doing’very well’ in his own rights and didn’t feel the need to receive the estate.
“He gradually trained and nurtured Louise to assume the running of the business, so that by the time he died, she would have helped to manage the business she was going to inherit,” he stated.
“Kevin loved Louise and knew she was strong enough to succeed in his business ventures. However, he cautioned her she’d have to fight the vultures.
Constance McDonnell QC believed that Bill was justified in claiming Constance influenced Kevin by influencing him.
She stated that she was with Kevin at the time he is reported to have instructed for the 2014 will. Louise, who was acting as a gatekeeper, was especially hostile to his family and would ridicule Bill.
“Kevin had an exterior that was tough. People who knew him from a business setting found him difficult to negotiate with. However, he seemed to enjoy the experience of making business transactions.
“This case is however not about Kevin’s business character but his domestic self as an individual who loves his family.
It was shocking to hear that Bill had been cut out of the will and Louise left rich because it came as shock to those who knew Kevin.
“Kevin had a very good relationship with Bill. He gave no hint that he wanted to remove him from his will, even though he was accustomed to being direct,” she stated.
Louise, backed by her sister Lisa Murray in court, is asking the judge to uphold the will leaving her £80million.
Bill, backed by his brother Mark’s son Ryan McKinnon, 24, who would be due up to £10million, says it should be ruled invalid and the earlier will should be ruled Kevin’s final will.
The hearing will continue.