A WIDOWER who changed his will under alleged “undue influence” from a councillor was asked by solicitors if he wanted to leave everything to her – and replied: “Not bloody likely.”

The retired telecoms worker is said by prosecutors to have been “cynically manipulated” by Stephanie Todd after she befriended him in August 2013.

Ms Todd – at the time a Richmondshire district councillor – is on trial at Teesside Crown Court accused of the theft of £46,000 over three years.

A jury heard the 57-year-old cooked and washed for the pensioner and did his food shopping, but abused her position as a carer to steal his money.

Prosecutor Paul Newcombe said Ms Todd persuaded him to change solicitors and write a new will – leaving his home and contents to her rather than a cat charity.

She is also alleged to have tried to gain Power of Attorney over his financial affairs, but the move never took place when the paperwork was not completed.

The court heard Ms Todd found him confused and wandering in a street in Richmond during the summer of 2013, and “took him under her wing”.

Lisa Potts, a solicitor from Hunton and Garget in the town, had a Lasting Power of Attorney and all his bank statements were sent to the firm.

Five months after meeting staff at the practice, Ms Todd took the pensioner to a different solicitors office, where a friend worked, and said he wanted to swap.

A new will was drawn up later in 2014, leaving the former councillor, said to have been in “dire financial straits”, as chief beneficiary.

“On November 5, (the pensioner) signed the will in the presence of witnesses at the new solicitors office, and the defendant now stood, effectively, to inherit everything,” said Mr Newcombe.

“She had known him a little less than a year and a half.”

Ms Potts, who returned from maternity leave, became suspicious over the change and noticed her office had stopped receiving the man’s bank statements.

Along with colleague Claire Richardson, she visited the 95-year-old as there were fears he was being “manipulated”, said Mr Newcombe.

After Ms Todd’s arrest last June, the solicitors visited the pensioner’s home again, and Ms Richardson asked him about his will.

In a recording played yesterday, and despite at times sounding confused, he told how he “put a large part of my estate over to her”.

Ms Richardson asks: “Do you still want that to happen, or shall I change it back?” The man replies: “Not bloody likely.”

The solicitor asks: “You don’t want it to happen?” He says: “No.”

“Would you like me to do a new will for you to sign in which you give everything you have to the Cats Protection (League) like you did the first time? Would you like me to change it back so this lady doesn’t get anything?” He replies: “That’s right.”

During one of their visits, he appeared to get upset when asked: “Do you remember what you have given Stephanie in the will you have at present?”

He replied: “I’m not trying to be awkward, but I just can’t think.”

Ms Richardson told him he would get help replenishing his cupboards with food, and said: “I just want to put things right regarding your money. How do you feel about that?”

He said: “My mind isn’t clear enough to feel anything.”

The pensioner – now aged 98 and said to be profoundly deaf and often confused – is too frail to give evidence or be cross-examined.

However, videos of two interviews he gave to police have been played to the jury.

Ms Todd, of Shute Road, Catterick Garrison, denies theft.

The trial continues.