News

‘Cinderella’ daughter wins share of £7m estate

Published

11 years ago

May 23, 2014

A CINDERELLA farmer’s daughter who says she was left at home ‘with a muck fork’ whilst her teenage sisters went dancing has triumphed in her fight for a fair share of her elderly parents’ £7 million estate.

Eirian Davies, aged 45, was repeatedly assured by her parents, Tegwyn and Mary Davies, now in their 70s, that she would ultimately step into their shoes and take over the family’s ‘golden egg’ – thriving Henllan Farm, Whitland, and its herd of pedigree Holstein cows.

And three Appeal Court judges on Wednesday ruled that a stake in the thriving 182-acre farm was no more than her due for the years of low-paid toil she put in.

The family war had culminated in a “physical altercation” in the milking parlour, during which milk was thrown over Miss Davies by her mother, and she and her father ended up entangled on the floor where she bit her father’s leg.

Miss Davies had testified that she missed out on going to Young Farmers’ Club dances with her two sisters as a teenager because she had to stay at home to deal with her farming chores.

“They always told me that the farm would be left to me. Even on my birthday, when the other girls were having things, they would say – ‘you will have the damn lot one day, it will all be yours’,” she said.

Her father would regularly warn her “not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg” if she complained about her meagre wages, she added.

Until she reached the age of 21, Miss Davies was paid nothing at all for her work on the farm and, after that, there was a period when she was paid just £15-a-day for milking the cows, although sometimes she received more.

She claimed she could have ‘made a better life elsewhere’, but her 75-year-old father and mother, 76, insisted she had earned a fair income during her stints working on the farm, also being provided with free ‘bed and board’ and other benefits.

Describing her as ‘a self-employed herdswoman’, they argued she would have done no better financially had she worked away from the farm.

However, Lord Justice Floyd on Wednesday ruled that measuring Miss Davies’ contribution to the farm was not just ‘an exercise in forensic accounting’ and that her parents should be held to the promises they made to her.

The judge, sitting with Lords Justice Richards and Underhill, said Miss Davies had for years laboured under the impression that she was running the farm in partnership with her parents – however they had never signed the agreement.

In 2009, she was shown a draft will, which left the lion’s share of the farm to her. However, her parents later made changes to their bequests and proposed to place the farm in trust for the benefit of all three sisters equally.

Miss Davies had a ‘passionate interest in pedigree milking cows’ and, by 1989 when she turned 21, she was the only sister left at the farm, ‘her sisters having departed to follow other paths’, the judge said.

And, when she left the farm to work elsewhere for a while, her father begged her to return.

The milking parlour fracas in August 2012 was the final straw that broke the family asunder and her parents launched proceedings to evict Miss Davies from Henllan farmhouse, where she still lives.

However, at an earlier court hearing, Judge Milwyn Jarman QC ruled that Miss Davies had relied on her parents’ promises and thrown herself into working on the farm for low wages. She was thus entitled to a ‘beneficial interest’ in the business.

Dismissing the couple’s appeal against that ruling, Lord Justice Floyd said Miss Davies had received ‘less than full recompense’ for her contribution to the farm which could not be measured in purely financial terms.

The appeal judge concluded: “This is in many ways a tragic case.

“The bitterness between the parties was such that each had few, if any, good words to say about the other.

“The fact remained, however, that between them they had over the years built up, by hard work, great skill and passionate dedication a prodigious Holstein pedigree milking herd and a highly successful business.

“It is greatly to be hoped that they might now be able to resolve such remaining differences as they have in relation to Eirian’s entitlement without recourse to further costly and divisive litigation”.

Judge Milwyn Jarman told the earlier county court hearing that the bitter relations between Eirian Davies and her parents came to a head after she discovered their plans to split the farm equally between the three sisters.

“After one such argument with her father in February 2010, she went to the barn and put a rope from a beam around her neck,” said the judge, adding that, by good fortune, a farm worker saw what was happening and intervened.

Although there was evidence that her parents had “pinned their hopes” on Eirian over the years, they had become increasingly annoyed by her relationships with men following her divorce.

The judge said part of this concern was – not so much the men involved – but “any children that they had and how that may impact upon their duties to keep the business in the family”.

“Her mother referred to a string of men, to whom she referred as ‘wretches’, with kids behind them,” said the judge.

Family relations hit rock bottom in August 2012 during a “physical altercation” between Eirian and her parents in the milking parlour.

“Accounts differ about that altercation, but at some point milk was thrown over Eirian by her mother and she and her father ended up entangled on the floor where Eirian bit her father’s leg”, the judge said.

“Eirian received from her parents the next day a notice terminating her services, and two weeks later a notice to quit the farmhouse requiring vacant possession by October 31 2012”.

Despite the intense friction in the family, the judge said it was to their credit that Eirian and her parents had over the years “by hard work, great skill and passionate dedication built up a prodigious Holstein pedigree milking herd and a highly successful business”.

He described Eirian as having a “passionate interest in pedigree milking cows”, also referring to her evidence that she was consistently promised that the farm would one day be her’s.

“Eirian says that she first heard that ‘it will all be your’s one day’ when she was still at secondary school, for example when her mother took her sisters shopping and she was left at home, as she put it, ‘with a muck fork’.

“She says she regularly missed school and that her sisters were not interested in farming at all.

“She claims to have heard the same thing regularly thereafter from both parents, whenever she asked for money. She was told: “don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg'”.

A “major factor” in the family’s difficult relationship was the “strong personalities of both mother and daughter”, he noted, as well as Eirian’s frustration at her role in the farming business not being formalised.

News

Body found in search for missing man during Storm Bert

Published

4 mins ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A BODY has been discovered by police searching for a man who went missing in a river during Storm Bert.

Although formal identification is yet to take place, the family of Brian Perry, 75, has been informed of the discovery.

Mr Perry was reported missing after he was swept away in the River Conwy near Trefriw, Conwy county, around 4:30pm on Saturday. He had been walking with his wife and their dog in an area severely affected by floodwater, North Wales Police said.

Chief Inspector Simon Kneale confirmed that Mr Perry’s family is receiving support from officers. He described the situation as “a particularly difficult time for this gentleman’s family.”

Storm Bert’s impact across Wales

Storm Bert has brought widespread disruption across Wales, with homes and roads submerged under floodwaters and dozens of flood warnings issued. The storm has caused extensive damage, lifting cars off their wheels and leaving communities grappling with its aftermath.

In South Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taf council declared a major incident due to severe flooding. Pontypridd has been one of the hardest-hit areas, with residents on Sion Street forced to bail out their homes after floodwaters surged without warning on Sunday morning.

Steve West, a businessman in Pontypridd, described the flooding as overwhelming. “We just have to wait for the water to recede and then help clear out the shops,” he said. Flooding has also been reported on Mill Street, with properties severely affected.

Emergency response and landslides

Rest centres have been established for displaced residents at Ystrad Sports Centre, Pontypridd Library, and Sobell Leisure Centre in Aberdare. Despite the council distributing thousands of sandbags, council leader Andrew Morgan said the intensity of the weather had been “simply overwhelming.”

In addition to flooding, landslides have caused further disruption. The A4106 Bwlch Road between Treorchy and Nantymoel was closed after a landslip scattered debris across the highway. A similar incident in Merthyr Tydfil forced the Brecon Mountain Railway to cancel its special Christmas services.

Power outages and water issues

Over 1,300 properties in South and West Wales were without power on Sunday morning, according to the National Grid. Welsh Water advised more than 10,000 residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf to boil their tap water after identifying quality issues at the Tynywaun water treatment works.

Weather warnings remain in place

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for strong winds across several counties, including Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire, until 9:00pm on Sunday. While the worst of the rain is expected to ease by the afternoon, up to 40mm of rainfall may still affect some areas, particularly over higher ground.

As Wales begins to recover from the devastation caused by Storm Bert, emergency services and communities continue their efforts to address the extensive damage left in its wake.

News

Flooding wreaks havoc across large areas of Wales

Published

7 mins ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

FLOODING has wreaked havoc across large areas of Wales following relentless rainfall overnight and into this morning. Weather warnings remain in place, and numerous roads have been closed due to hazardous conditions. Affected residents and motorists are urged to stay informed and avoid travel where possible.

TRANSPORT CHAOS

A railway line in the Cynon Valley has been submerged, with images showing Cwmbach train station entirely underwater. Severe flooding has also been reported in the Rhondda, Pontypridd, Blackwood, and Ebbw Vale. Roads across the region, including the A465 and sections of the A5 and A494, are impassable, with diversions causing significant delays.

COMMUNITIES HIT HARD

Residents on Sion Street, Pontypridd, face some of the worst conditions. Photos show householders using buckets and bins to bail out floodwater, as emergency services work tirelessly to assist. Berw Road, also in Pontypridd, has seen similar devastation, with businesses and homes overwhelmed by water. Cardiff’s Bute Park has been closed due to the risk of flooding.

In Blackwood, the local rugby club and surrounding areas are submerged, leaving vehicles stranded. A restaurant in the town, Bistro 8, remains closed due to rising waters.

MAJOR INCIDENTS DECLARED

Rhondda Cynon Taf council has declared a major incident, citing “significant flooding” across the area. Emergency centres have been opened, and sandbags distributed to mitigate further damage. Merthyr Tydfil council also reported several inaccessible roads and is providing evacuation centres for affected residents.

TRAGIC LOSS AND RESCUES

In England, a man in his 60s tragically lost his life after a tree fell on his car during Storm Bert. Meanwhile, in Trefriw, north Wales, a man remains missing after going running with his dog as floodwaters rose. Emergency services have located the dog but continue to search for the man.

WEATHER WARNINGS AND ADVICE

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain, covering areas including Cardiff, Swansea, and Powys. Earlier warnings for strong winds have been lifted. Natural Resources Wales reports nearly 50 flood warnings and 60 flood alerts across the country.

Residents are urged to prepare by following flood preparedness advice, which includes having sandbags ready and signing up for weather updates. Affected train services have been replaced with buses, and delays are expected to continue.

CALLS FOR ACTION

Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan has called for more action to prevent recurring flooding, pointing to lessons unlearned from the devastating floods of 2020 during Storms Ciara and Dennis. She pledged ongoing support for affected communities and promised to campaign for better flood defences in the Senedd.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Gwent Police, alongside emergency services and local councils, have warned against unnecessary travel and advised against driving through floodwaters. Residents are reminded to report floods to their local councils and to dial 999 in emergencies.

Crime

Detective Chief Inspector describes child’s death as ‘heartbreaking’

Published

15 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

POLICE have described the death of seven-year-old Louis Linse at the hands of his mother as a “heartbreaking incident” that has deeply impacted officers and the local community.

Papaipit Linse, 43, from Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility at Swansea Crown Court earlier this week. Louis was found unresponsive in his bed on January 10 after Linse called emergency services to report his death.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Williams, who led the investigation, reflected on the tragic events and the challenges faced by his team.

“This was a truly heartbreaking incident, involving the death of a young child at the hands of his mother,” DCI Williams said. “Officers who attended the scene were met with an incredibly difficult and emotive situation, yet they acted with professionalism and care, ensuring that a thorough investigation was conducted.”

The case has not only shocked the local community in Haverfordwest but has also brought to light the deep personal struggles and trauma faced by Linse in the years leading up to the tragedy.

***Tragic story: Edward and Papaipit Linse***

A troubled family history

Linse, originally from Chiang Mai, Thailand, is the estranged wife of 51-year-old Edward Linse, a former businessman now detained in a psychiatric facility. Their marriage was marked by years of domestic violence, financial hardship, and failed business ventures.

In 2017, Edward assaulted his wife at their £1.2m Cheshire home during an argument about visa issues. The attack, carried out with a children’s book as a weapon, highlighted the volatile nature of their relationship. His lawyer, Peter Malone, told the court that Edward struggled to control his emotions, which he traced back to difficulties experienced during his boarding school years.

***The couple said that in 2016 they had a lot of fun and good memories with this property – A café and pretend beach in Chiang Mai, Thailand***

The violence escalated over the years, with Edward eventually convicted of a brutal assault on his own parents. Following his incarceration in a psychiatric facility, Linse was left to care for their two children alone.

The breakdown of their marriage was compounded by financial woes. After the failure of a café venture in Chiang Mai, the couple relocated to the UK. In 2022, their landscaping business, Alderley Landscapes, ceased trading, leaving Linse to move to Haverfordwest with her children in search of a fresh start.

***Edward Linse, estranged husband of Papapait Linse***

Life in Haverfordwest

Neighbours in Upper Market Street described Linse as a quiet, reserved figure who homeschooled her two children. Despite her struggles, those close to the family said Louis appeared well-cared-for, with one neighbour, Dr Sean Phelan, expressing disbelief at the tragedy.

“I never thought something like this could happen,” Dr Phelan said. “The children were polite and seemed happy. It’s shocking to think of what must have been going on behind closed doors.”

Forensic teams have been working at the scene since the incident, piecing together the circumstances surrounding Louis’ death. Floral tributes have been placed outside the property as the community mourns the young boy’s loss.

Police dedication

DCI Williams praised the dedication of the officers involved in the investigation, acknowledging the emotional toll such cases can have on emergency responders.

“Our team has worked tirelessly since January to uncover the circumstances of Louis’ death and to ensure justice was brought for him,” he said. “While no result in court can undo this loss, we hope it offers some measure of closure to those who knew and loved Louis. Our thoughts remain with them during this devastating time.”

The case also serves as a reminder of the importance of early intervention and support for families facing domestic violence and mental health issues. Police urged anyone in similar situations to seek help from local services.

Awaiting sentencing

Linse has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 13. The court is expected to consider the impact of her mental health struggles and the years of abuse she endured when determining her sentence.

As the investigation concludes, the police and community alike continue to grapple with the profound loss of a young life under such tragic circumstances.