Retired Account Conned Relatives Out Of £93K Will

A greedy retired accountant, trusted by a deceased pal to share his will amongst his relatives, kept £93,000 for himself on top of money he also inherited from his friend.

David Coddington, 79, of Ormonde Court, Upper Richmond Road, Richmond-upon-Thames was the named executor of the estate, but for years got away with secretly keeping most of the cash.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by abuse of position between February 12, 2012 and October 30, 2015 while the executor of the estate of James Brendan Connolly.

At Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court yesterday he received fifteen months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and must obey a three-month home curfew between 6pm and 6am.

His sister has agreed to sell her flat so lifelong bachelor Coddington can pay compensation.

The three counts relate to failing to distribute the estate to nephew Tony Connolly, niece Eileen Loakman and relative Anne Downey.

The nephew only received £25,000 of the £93,000 due and said: “It is very distressing the wishes of my late uncle were not executed.”

The two women didn’t see a penny of the £13,000 they were each due to inherit and Eileen said: “I am sickened, saddened and disappointed that the wishes of my late uncle, who trusted David Coddington, were not carried out.”

Anne said: “I am angry, saddened and disappointed he did not carry out his duties.”

Coddington was investigated by the Serious Fraud Office after Tony Connolly reported him to Action Fraud.

It was discovered he used the late Mr. Connolly’s estate to pay his credit card bills, withdrew £13,000 from cashpoints and wrote cheques to himself.

“The estate was worth just over one hundred and thirty-five thousand pounds and there were five beneficiaries, with Mr. Coddington being one of them,” said prosecutor Ms Alexandra Boxhall.

Judge Timothy Lamb QC told him: “You let yourself, your family, the deceased and his family and friends down.

“You got away with ninety-three thousand pounds of someone else’s money secretly for a number of years. It’s a disgrace on you.

“There is no sense sending a man of your age, with your remorse and medical conditions outlined by your GP inside.”