Son of secret affair risks losing £14m inheritance
Stuart Marcus started out selling kits for wooden doll houses above a small east London toy shop and ended up with a string of companies valued at £14.5 million before he died.
His sons, Edward, 46, and Jonathan, 42, worked for the company, with Jonathan heading up successful commercial operations in Germany.
Before his death on Feb 19 2020, Marcus, 86, arranged for 43 per cent of the business that made up his fortune to be put into a family trust for the benefit of his ' children... and their spouses '.
But in 2023, Jonathan discovered that Marcus was not Edward's biological father and was instead the product of an affair between his mother, Patricia Marcus, and lawyer Sydney Glossop.
Last year, a judge ruled that, despite the biological revelation, Edward could still benefit from the fortune on the basis that both brothers were intended to share.
The case has come back to court this week, with Jonathan's lawyers arguing that it was wrong to let Edward, a solicitor, share the wealth when he was not the biological son.
Thomas Braithwaite, representing Jonathan, insisted that the word 'children' in the document meant related to biology and so could not include Edward.
But Edward's legal team rejected the argument and urged the judge to dismiss the appeal.
Patricia, the brothers' mother, confided in Edward that he was not Stuart's son during a confidential chat 14 years ago.
But Mr Mills argued: 'Stuart intended to benefit Edward, who he designated and thought to be his child. Realistically, the reasonable person would think that Edward is a beneficiary of this settlement.'
The judge reserved judgment on Jonathan's appeal until a later date.
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