Mary Jane Haigh, a 63-year-old company director, has been sentenced to six years in prison for stealing over £550,000 from her elderly stepfather, David Skippen. Haigh funded a lavish lifestyle, including international holidays to the Caribbean and Peru, supplies for her horses and llamas, and her daughter's wedding, by systematically depleting Mr. Skippen's life savings.
Haigh, who lived in a £500,000 converted barn and ran a high-end equine transportation business, took advantage of her stepfather after her mother and his wife, Mary, died in late 2011. While purportedly caring for Mr. Skippen, she and her husband, Michael Haigh, coerced him into moving closer to them. He was moved from his home in Devizes, Wiltshire, where his wife was buried, first into their home and then to a flat owned by Haigh's daughter. During this period, Mr. Skippen was charged approximately £25,000 in rent over three years.
In 2015, the Haighs registered as having power of attorney for Mr. Skippen, enabling them to legally make decisions on his behalf. That same year, Mr. Skippen's will was altered, changing from an equal share for his grandchildren to a 25 percent share for Haigh. During this time, Mr. Skippen also faced spurious invoices, including £150 per hour for financial advice from Michael Haigh and regular wages paid to Haigh's other daughter for care that continued even after Mr. Skippen moved into a care home.
Haigh's brother, Dr. Paul Hunt, became suspicious and attempted to bring Mr. Skippen's circumstances to the attention of various bodies, including social services, the local GP, the Office of Public Guardian, and the police, starting in 2014. Despite his efforts, intervention was limited.
The couple sold Mr. Skippen's house in 2015 for £286,000, the proceeds of which they kept. Mr. Skippen's health declined, and he was diagnosed with dementia in 2017, leading to his move into a care home. Two years later, in January 2020, the Haighs formally relinquished their power of attorney, citing their inability to contribute to his care costs. Mr. Skippen died four months later, at the age of 84, leaving unpaid care bills of £30,000 that fell to the local council.
Following Mr. Skippen's death, an investigation into the Haighs led to criminal proceedings. In 2023, Michael Haigh died in an incident ruled an accident involving a rifle. His widow subsequently faced trial alone. During the trial, Haigh attempted to blame her deceased husband, but the prosecution argued they acted together out of greed. Haigh was found guilty of theft and two counts of fraud. She was sentenced to six years in prison, and a proceeds of crime hearing is scheduled for next year.
Dr. Hunt expressed his regret over the lost time with his stepfather and the impact on his dignity, stating that justice had finally been served. The court heard that Haigh funded her lifestyle, including naming a horse Benson and Hedges and keeping llamas inspired by a trip to Peru, with her stepfather's money. As a final indignity, Haigh disposed of Mr. Skippen's ashes without informing his surviving relatives.