A decade-long legal battle over comedian Sean Hughes’ charity will has finally been concluded. His £4 million property portfolio is now officially passing to the homelessness charity, Shelter.
Judge resolves Sean Hughes charity’s ambiguous will
A High Court judge has ruled that the late British-born Irish comedian, intended to leave his entire property empire to the organisation. The decision resolves a dispute caused by imprecise wording in a will he drafted online without legal assistance.
The central complication arose from a section in the document where Mr Hughes bequeathed his three houses to Shelter. At the time of his death, he personally owned only one home, a £1.8 million property in north London.
The other two houses, located on Edison Avenue and Elder Avenue and valued at £1.5 million and £650,000 respectively. They were held in the name of a company for which he was the sole shareholder.
Although Mr Hughes’ family, his two brothers, Alan and Martin, agreed that the shares and the properties should go to the charity. But the ambiguous wording required judicial intervention.
Following a short hearing conducted via videolink, Master Iain Pester concluded that the correct construction of the will dictated that the shares be transferred to Shelter. Had the judge ruled otherwise, the two company-held properties would have fallen into Mr. Hughes’ residuary estate.
Shelter charity praises family cooperation
Barrister Aidan Briggs, representing the executor of the will, and Alexander Learmonth KC, for Shelter, confirmed that. They said both the family and the charity agreed Shelter was the rightful beneficiary.
Speaking after the ruling, Andy Harris, the charity’s director of income generation, said Sean Hughes was a passionate supporter of Shelter’s work. Harris noted that they have worked closely with Sean’s family to ensure his wishes are honoured,
“Gifts left in wills are a vital source of income for Shelter. This donation will enable us to continue to deliver expert support and advice to people impacted by the housing emergency and to campaign for everyone’s right to a safe and secure home,” he added.
Findings by Charity Journal reveal that Mr Hughes, who never married, was born in Archway, north London, to Irish parents. He spent much of his youth at his paternal grandmother’s house in Dublin.
Additionally, he rose to prominence in the alternative stand-up scene of the 1980s, making his debut at the Comedy Store in 1987. In 1990, at just 24 years old, he won the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award for his groundbreaking show.
In a separate development, two San Diego-area men have been admitted in court to running a fake charity that siphoned off millions of dollars. This is in concession proceeds intended to support youth softball at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium.