A WOMAN who lost her fortune investing in her partner's business interests forged a will to get some of her cash back when he died, a court heard.

Ingrid Lee, aged 57, of London Road, Worcester, nursed her dying partner Terence Powell through his last months and saw all her money disappear as his car refurbishing business crashed, Worcester Crown Court was told.

A few weeks before he died at the age of 57 in December, 2010 she persuaded her former husband Christopher Lee to falsely provide two witnesses and an executor for a will she had forged which would have given her a potential gain of £15,000, Charles Hamer, prosecuting, told the court.

But Mr Powell's family raised questions, causing a formal reading of the will she produced to be held in a solicitor's office. A family member disputed its validity as it "looked like something downloaded from the internet," which it was, Mr Hamer said. The family contacted the police and it was found the signature had most likely been forged by Ingrid Lee.

Both pleaded guilty at the start of a trial to one charge of forgery and were given suspended jail sentences.

Mr Hamer said Ingrid Lee had been with Mr Powell for five or six years up to his death and had put up the money from a previous inheritance into buying a £700,000 property.

The terms of the purchase meant she did not get its full value upon his death. She had also put cash into his car refurbishing business but it was close to collapse and the staff, including two of his children, were not being paid.

"That was the motive for her to falsify the will," Mr Hamer said.

Harpreet Sandhu, defending Ingrid Lee, said she found herself dealing with Mr Powell's failing health from cancer as well as his failing business interests. When she met him in 2003, he had nothing, Mr Sandhu said.

"Through his relationship with her, he was able to lead a life that would otherwise not have been available to him," Mr Sandhu said. "Over the course of the next six years, she lost everything because she indulged him."

When he died, the residual value of the estate went to the family and there was nothing left.

"The reality was she once had a great deal and she now had nothing. That was in no small part due to the relationship." Mr Sandhu said. "She loved him then and she loves him now."

He said she was taking agency work and was only able to pay £1 a month off her mortgage.

Andrew Baker, for Christopher Lee, said the 62-year-old, of West Avenue, Handsworth, Birmingham, who was in poor health, had been helping out his ex-wife.

"Heaven alone knows why he became involved," Mr Baker said. "He had an acrimonious divorce and his relationship with Mr Powell was very difficult. There could be no financial gain for him."

Recorder Andrew Mainds said it was quite clear Ingrid Lee had loved Mr Powell and had contributed a great deal to a relationship ended by his tragic death and decided she wanted some recompense.

Both she and her ex-husband were of positive good character and were unlikely to be before the courts again, he said.

He gave Ingrid Lee a sentence of 15 months suspended for two years and Christopher Lee 10 months suspended for 18 months. They were ordered to pay £1400 costs each within twelve months.