A woman who died while sleeping in a freezing shipping container on a Derwent Valley property in 2010 had about $330,000 removed from her bank accounts leading up to her death.
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Janet Mackodzi’s financial statements were examined by the Coroner’s Court on Thursday which revealed a rapid deterioration of money from the usually thrifty pensioner who was living with advanced dementia.
The court heard testimony from Mrs Mackodzi’s financial adviser, Louise Muscat, who detailed financial transactions from the woman’s bank and investment accounts since she came to live with daughter and son-in-law, Jassy and Michael Anglin, in Tasmania.
Ms Muscat said a Commonwealth Bank account, used to receive age-pension payments, had dropped from $189,000 to $29,000.
She said the balance sheet showed almost daily transactions, many of which appeared to be for takeaway food and petrol.
Ms Muscat said another investment account, held with Macquarie Bank, had $170,000 withdrawn from it over 18 months.
She said her client had advised her years ago that the account was kept aside for her retirement and placement in a nursing home.
Of the 70 cheques used to withdraw most of the money, Ms Muscat said she could only say without a doubt that nine had been written and signed by Mrs Mackodzi.
Ms Muscat said she found out from Mrs Anglin via a phone conversation that the money from both accounts had been used to pay for family trips, home renovations, the $60,000 cost of building a granny flat – a converted shipping container – and a one-off $50,000 gift so the family could purchase their home.
Ms Muscat said that Mrs Mackodzi had purchased a unit in New Norfolk for $154,000 which had apparently been transferred to Mrs Anglin’s ownership without any payment.
She said Mrs Mackodzi had conveyed to her on several occasions fears that her finances would be raided by Mr and Mrs Anglin who had access to it.
“She said she had to be very careful because she knew that they wanted her money,” Ms Muscat said.
“She said she was scared of her son-in-law.”
Mrs Anglin angrily disputed claims raised in Ms Muscat’s testimony, saying it was completely untrue and that her mother had wanted to spend the money on the family.
