Retired judge to be sentenced after forging a will

Retired judge Margaret Hampshire and her husband Alan are due to be sentenced today, after forging a will to get their hands on a country cottage.

They have arrived at Nottingham Crown Court this morning.

Ex-solicitor Margaret Hampshire, 69, and her builder husband Alan, 67, pleaded guilty to forging the will of Martin Blanche, who died in 2007.

The couple had been part-way through a trial at Nottingham Crown Court before changing their pleas and admitting six offences last month.

Nottinghamshire Police said Mr Blanche, who had lived alone, was thought to be unable to read or write and those who knew him believed it unlikely he would ever have written a will.

Mrs Hampshire is a former tribunal judge with experience in probate, and falsely declared Mr Blanche's will was a true document.

She then transferred his estate, including two cottages in Rolleston, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, to that of her cousin Josephine Burroughs - a relative of Mr Blanche.

Mrs Hampshire had power of attorney for Ms Burroughs and admitted fraud in dishonestly exceeding that position by transferring the property in Rolleston to her daughter, Sarah.

In court, Mrs Hampshire pleaded guilty to fraud and two counts of forgery, while her husband admitted one charge of forgery and two matters of theft.