SON FLAUNTED ROLEX AFTER FORGING SICK MUM'S SIGNATURE TO SELL HER HOUSE
Andrew Cates, 54, was convicted of forging his mother’s signature to facilitate the sale of her home and then spent approximately £80,000 from the sale on luxury items.The residence, a three-bedroom house in Ainsdale, was sold by Cates at an undervalue, and the funds were used within nine months to purchase items such as a Rolex watch, gold jewellery, and a laptop.
The court heard on Friday (April 1) that Cates had minimal contact with his elderly mother, and her care home fees, which had accrued over seven years, remained unpaid.
Liverpool Crown Court judge Ian Harris, QC, condemned the crime as “cruel, selfish, and calculated,” highlighting that it disregarded his mother’s legal rights.
Despite a character reference describing Cates as “kind and compassionate,” the judge said these words conflicted with his apparent treatment of his mother.
A pre-sentence report indicated Cates lacked remorse and showed no empathy for his victim, a point reinforced by the judge’s comments on his explanation letter.
The case was further strengthened when a letter from Cates’ daughter was deemed overshadowed by her warnings to him via text messages cautioning him over his Facebook messages and his brother’s frustration about the house.
It was revealed that Cates had also obtained a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for his mother, which he used to sell her house after forging her signature.
His mother, diagnosed with dementia in 2009, moved into a care home in June 2015, and by September 2018, it was confirmed she could no longer make decisions independently.
The fraud was uncovered following an application by a trust company to act as her ‘professional deputy’ due to her debts and the lack of contact with family.
The trust discovered that the property had been sold shortly after Cates registered the LPA a document he claimed his mother had signed in November 2017, despite her diagnosis and lack of recent visits.
Further investigation revealed that the property, valued at roughly £149,000, was sold shortly after the LPA was registered in January 2019, just one week after the application.
Text messages from Cates’ daughter from July that year also indicated concern over his dishonestly obtained wealth.
When questioned, Cates claimed to have visited his mother and believed she understood and consented to the signing, asserting he thought her care was paid for by the council.
He admitted using some proceeds to buy personal items and loan money to friends.
His defence suggested he had an agreement with his mother for her to pass the house to him, but the court acknowledged the absence of any formal legal arrangement.
Judge Harris sentenced Cates to two and a half years in prison, describing his conduct as a betrayal of his mother’s trust and a clear example of exploitation of a vulnerable person.
