My siblings made me feel like a criminal after I cared for our dying mother 24 hours a day, says daughter who has now won £127,500 from her estate after bitter family court battle

A woman who took £127,500 from her dementia-stricken mother's estate as compensation for caring for her has said she was made to feel like a 'terrible criminal'.

Bern Rogers, 71, was reported to police for theft and fraud after she withdrew the payment against the wishes of her five siblings.

Ms Rogers insisted she had looked after her dying mother Sheila Wills '24 hours a day' for two-and-a-half years – and that Mrs Wills had agreed she should be paid for her efforts.

When Mrs Wills died in April 2020, Ms Rogers took an initial payment of £100,000 from her estate.

However, the money was subsequently seized and Ms Rogers was charged, amid a bitter legal battle with her family.

Following a six-and-a-half-year dispute – which saw Ms Rogers ultimately awarded £127,500 for the care she provided – the 71-year-old has now revealed her 'devastation' at the ordeal.

Ms Rogers, a grandmother of six from Bristol, said: 'I went from being held up as a saint for looking after mum to suddenly being this terrible criminal.

'I was just doing what my mum asked me to do. It was them [siblings] against me, it made me feel like a scapegoat.'

Bern Rogers insisted she had looked after her dying mother Sheila Wills '24 hours a day' for two-and-a-half years. They are pictured here together

Bern and Jon Rogers are pictured this week outside their home in Bristol. Ms Rogers has now revealed her 'devastation' at the ordeal

Andrew Wills, who was executor of the estate, is pictured here with his wife. Mr Wills insisted he and his siblings were 'not made aware of any other contract between our mother and Bernadette'

Mrs Wills moved from Norfolk to live with Ms Rogers and her husband Jon Rogers in Bristol in September 2017 after struggling to live independently.

The arrangement was initially intended to last around ten days after she was found wandering outside her home and neighbours raised concerns about her wellbeing, Ms Rogers said.

But it quickly became clear Mrs Wills needed far greater support.

A year later she was diagnosed with dementia and her health continued to deteriorate.

Ms Rogers said her mother repeatedly insisted on staying with her rather than returning home or moving into residential care.

'She said, "I don't want to live on my own. I want to come and live with you",' Ms Rogers said.

Mrs Wills eventually required 24-hour help with personal care, assistance eating, support with incontinence and treatment for a painful prolapse.

Jon Rogers, 72, a retired GP, said: 'We felt unable to leave her on her own. If Bern needed to go to the shops, I would have to stay at home.

Ms Rogers said her mother repeatedly insisted on staying with her rather than returning home or moving into residential car

Sheila Wills is pictured here with one of her granddaughters. 'She loved being around the children and grandchildren,' Ms Rogers said

Bern Rogers is pictured outside her home in Bristol. She said discussions had long taken place within the family about her being compensated for caring for their mother

'We couldn't go out. Even going to the shops was difficult. It was a 24-hour job.'

The couple said their lives were put on hold while caring for Mrs Wills.

Ms Rogers said: 'It was very hard. You think they're the person they've always been and then you realise their brain is being affected by the slightest thing.

'She would get anxious and upset. She could get angry. It was very frightening for her.'

During Mrs Wills' final weeks, which coincided with the first Covid lockdown, Ms Rogers slept on the floor beside her mother's bed.

Despite the demands, Ms Rogers insisted she would do it all again.

'I think we gave her the best life,' she said.

'She loved being around the children and grandchildren. I think she was really pleased to be here.'

But when Mrs Wills died in April 2020, Ms Rogers said her brother, Andrew Wills, who was executor of the estate, told her to take money for the care she had provided.

She said discussions had long taken place within the family about her being compensated for caring for their mother.

Multiple messages from Ms Rogers's five siblings were shown in court which said she should be paid for the care, although no amount was agreed.

Shortly after her mother had died, she transferred £100,000 from her estate and placed it into a separate account – triggering a rapid deterioration of relations within the family.

The money was recovered by the banks and returned to the estate amid concerns of possible fraud, leading to a police investigation and criminal prosecution.

Mr Rogers described watching his wife stand trial as 'absolutely horrifying'.

He said: 'I literally had to watch my wife with two prison officers on either side of her ready to take her to prison if the jury came back with a guilty verdict.'

Following her acquittal, Ms Rogers launched civil proceedings.

Ms Rogers is pictured with her mother Sheila Wills. She says she believes the case could help other family carers facing similar disputes

Sheila Wills is pictured with Jon Rogers. Mr Rogers described watching his wife stand trial as 'absolutely horrifying'

Sheila Rogers is pictured with her husband. The estate was reportedly worth over £400,000, which included Mrs Wills's Norfolk home sale of around £235k after her death

She said the estate was worth over £400,000, which included Mrs Wills's Norfolk home sale of around £235k after her death.

According to Ms Rogers, her five siblings received their shares of the estate while she received nothing.

'They've all had their share of the probate,' she said.

Mr Rogers added: 'We then started civil proceedings because, unlike all her siblings, they were all given inheritances, all paid out of the estate.

'There's plenty of money in the estate. It wasn't that they didn't have any money in the estate to pay her.

'He's put the money to all the siblings and then has fought not to pay Bern anything, not to pay her inheritance, not to pay her the money that she's owed.'

In 2025, the High Court ruled Ms Rogers had entered into an informal contract with her mother under which she would be paid a reasonable sum for caring for her.

The court also found that, even without a contract, her mother's estate had benefited from her care through the legal principle of unjust enrichment.

A further hearing in August this year determined how much she should receive.

The court found Ms Rogers had provided care for 850 days and awarded her £150 per day, totalling £127,500.

Mr Wills, executor of the estate, described the judgement as 'disappointing' - questioning the existence of a 'contract' between Ms Rogers and his late mother.

He added: 'As a frugal person, I very much doubt that my mother would ever have agreed to pay commercial care rates to one of her own family for care.'

Meanwhile, Ms Rogers said she believes the case could help other family carers facing similar disputes.

'It's absolutely wonderful,' she said.

'Finding out that this is going to set a precedent and create case law to enable others to do the same thing.

'All you feel like you're doing is fighting for your freedom to start with and then fighting for a just resolution.'

The couple said the legal battle has left lasting scars and they remain estranged from Ms Rogers's siblings.

Ms Rogers described it as 'shocking and devastating' that all five of her siblings gave statements against her during the criminal proceedings.

Asked what her mother would make of the fallout, Ms Rogers said: 'She would be terribly upset'

'There was no negotiation,' she said.

'We offered negotiation. But then it very quickly became, "we can't negotiate" and "no, we're not negotiating with somebody that stole the money from the account".'

On being awarded £127,000, Mr Rogers said: 'It's a major victory.

'It's a great precedent for other people in similar situations because people who are carers can often be taken for granted.'

Ms Rogers added: 'I fought for what my mum wanted.

'My mum kept saying, "I don't want charity. If you don't take money for my care. If you don't sort things out with your siblings, I'm going into a home. You must get paid".

'That was my contract with her. And that kept me going for the last six and a half years because I absolutely felt this was wrong.

'And to find out that other families have been through the same thing was devastating.'

Asked what her mother would make of the fallout, Ms Rogers replied: 'She would be terribly upset.

'She would be devastated if she knew how her children could turn on one of us in such a short time.'

In a statement on behalf of the estate, the executor, Mr Wills said: 'The only agreements that we (her siblings) were aware of was for my mother to give Bernadette £50 per week 'keep' and to ensure that Bernadette was not to be out of pocket.

'We were not made aware of any other contract between our mother and Bernadette.

'At all times I have attempted to be independent and to act in the best interests of the estate.

'The estate has always been willing to pay Bernadette her genuine expenses as well as an additional gratuity in recognition of her efforts for our mother.

'We have always tried to be fair. Unfortunately, our offers were not accepted by Bernadette who instead issued legal proceedings against the estate.'

The statement added: 'Uncertainty in the family care context has been allowed to prevail. 

'Had we been advised of any contract in the sums awarded to Bernadette, it is likely we would have put our mother in a proper and regulated care home environment where she would have received professional care instead of unregulated at home care or she might have stayed with another one of her children who had more suitable accommodation.

'The quantum judgment is being appealed as it cannot be right that my mother’s estate should pay Bernadette vastly more than it would have cost my mother to stay in a commercial CQC-rated care home especially when her care needs were erratic.'