# Two charities lose out due to forged will

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/10/23/two-charities-lose-due-forged-will/
- Published: 2014-10-23T16:10:53+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Two charities in Northern Ireland are considerably out of pocket because of a forged
will, it was revealed in court yesterday.

Two local charities, the Southern Area Hospice and the Ulster Cancer Foundation,
now called Cancer Focus, were to be amongst the main beneficiaries of the £1 million
will of an elderly women, Kitty Haughey, who died in 2004.

However, in court yesterday local farmer Francis Tiernan admitted forging the will
in his favour just two weeks before Ms Haughey’s death. Until then, the charities
and Ms Haughey’s friend Alice Quinn had been the main beneficiaries of the will.
It was Ms Quinn’s suspicions that led to the court case.

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After originally denying the charge of forging the will, Tiernan has now admitted
doing so. A GP and a surveyor had already pleaded guilty to drafting and witnessing
the fake document. Both were given suspended sentences earlier this month.

According to the [BBC](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29727161), 
the hospice and the Ulster Cancer Foundation have lost out because “the estate has
suffered loss and damage” while in Tiernan’s control and the money has mostly been
spent.

Mr Tiernan will be sentenced tomorrow.

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