Widow of rally driver forged his will

www.cambridge-news.co.uk – 20/08/09

The widow of former top rally driver Tony Fall has admitted forging his will.

Patricia Fall, 59, was warned she could face prison when she admitted trying to pass off a will as genuine which had been left unsigned and unwitnessed when he died suddenly while in Tanzania helping the organisers of the East African Classic Safari Rally.

Fall, of Fordham Road, Newmarket, had been due to stand trial at Ipswich Crown Court after earlier denying forgery. But she changed her plea.

She admitted using a false instrument on or after December 4, 2007, purporting to be the last will and testament of Richard Anthony Fall which was intended to be accepted as genuine to the detriment of others.

Tony Fall, a member of the original Mini rally team who also drove for Datsun, Porsche and BMW and was a team manager for German manufacturer Opel, was managing director of motorsport company Safety Devices which has been based in Soham and Newmarket. The court heard he had effectively died intestate because he left no valid will.

Prosecutor Martyn Levett said the will at the centre of the case had been signed by two witnesses after Mr Fall's death. One of them had since died.

ony Fall, who was 67 when he died from a suspected heart attack, left sons Richard and Oliver from a previous marriage, and three grandchildren.

Judge Neil McKittrick refused to rule out a prison sentence for Patricia Fall, saying it was a "serious matter". She will be sentenced next month.

Two other charges, of falsifying vehicle registration documents for a Jaguar and Datsun, will not be proceeded with because legal advice indicated the cars did not form part of Mr Fall's estate.