A psychic television poet, known as 'The Cockney Bard,' has lost an inheritance dispute over his father's £450,000 estate, with a judge ruling in favor of his sister and her daughter. Gary Pammen, who claims to have psychic abilities and has appeared on national television, sued his sister Tracy Pammen and her daughter Paige Pammen after being excluded from the will of his father, Terrance Pammen.
Terrance Pammen, who died at 83 in May 2022, left nearly his entire estate, valued at £451,840 and primarily consisting of a house in Stratford, east London, to Tracy and Paige. Gary Pammen challenged the 2016 will, asserting that his father lacked the mental capacity and understanding to approve its contents due to frailty. He argued that his father was mentally impaired and confused about his family and assets when the will was drafted.
However, Tracy and Paige maintained that their father was mentally sharp when he created the will and had clear intentions for his estate. Judge Simon Monty upheld the will, awarding the entire estate to Tracy and Paige. The judge also ordered Gary Pammen to pay £216,013.85 in legal costs, with an initial payment of £150,000.
The judge stated that Gary Pammen was unable to accept his father's decision to disinherit him, his sister Jackie, and his brother Mark. Gary, representing himself in court, argued that the will completely disinherited all but two of his father's children and their grandchildren. He claimed to speak with his father daily and saw no reason for disinheritance. Gary also accused Tracy of withdrawing significant sums from their father's bank accounts in his final years, an allegation she denied.
Tracy Pammen testified that her father was still working at a supermarket sorting shopping trolleys when he made the will in 2016 and continued for up to three years afterward. Her barrister presented psychiatric evidence confirming Terrance Pammen was of sound mind. While Terrance Pammen was diagnosed with dementia in 2020, the defense argued he showed no signs of memory failure until 2017 or 2018. Paige Pammen explained that their father left his estate to them because he knew they would care for him and be responsible.
In his ruling, Judge Monty found it clear that Terrance Pammen possessed testamentary capacity. He attributed Gary Pammen's claims to suspicion stemming from a family disagreement, exacerbated by confirmation bias, rather than objective facts. The judge further stated that the evidence indicated Terrance Pammen's cognitive issues did not manifest until at least a year after the will was executed. Regarding the bank withdrawals, the judge made no express finding but stated he was not persuaded that Tracy or Paige made the large, unexplained withdrawals, apart from modest sums for groceries accepted by Tracy.
Excluded from the will, along with Gary, were siblings Mark, Jacqueline, and Gemma, none of whom participated in the trial. Gary Pammen, 65, lives in Norfolk and has previously spoken of his poetry being inspired by spirits and his beliefs in healing and second sight.