The friend, the family, their aunt and her lover: Court fight looms over $1M estate left to male escort

The will of a deceased B.C. woman will be contested by an old friend, her closest living relatives and a male escort approximately 54 years her junior following a decision by a provincial Supreme Court judge.

Janet Henry died in North Vancouver in November 2021 at the age of 84 and left most of her estate, valued at around $1 million, to Simon Garstin in her August 2021 will.

Garstin is described by Justice Gary P. Weatherill as "a professional companion and male escort who, in exchange for money, provides companionship and sexual services to women." He is presently in his early 30s, the judgment said. 

Henry's bequest to Garstin is being challenged, however, by her two closest living relatives, Australians Jillian McCrone and Ross McCrone, her niece and nephew. They are seeking to have the estate distributed between them.

They allege their aunt did not have the capacity to understand the nature and impact of her August 2021 will and did not receive independent advice crafting it.

They also allege Garstin "unduly influenced" Henry in preparing the will and that he was in a "position of control and dominance" over her.

A second challenge to the will comes from a friend of Henry's, Douglas Wilson. He met Henry in 2009 as her trainer although they became friends over time.

Wilson moved to Australia in 2018 but they kept in touch via phone and Facebook. A February 2021 will from Henry would have made him the beneficiary of the estate. 

In both 2021 wills, the McCrone siblings are named as contingent residual beneficiaries, meaning they would inherit the bulk of her estate if either Wilson or Garstin — depending on the version — predeceased her.

In a decision issued late last week, Weatherill confirmed that the McCrones' and Wilson's challenges to the testament naming Garstin as beneficiary will proceed almost four years after Henry's passing.

Henry had no children. Her husband died in 2004 and her brother passed away a year before her.

"Following her husband's death, [Henry] apparently enjoyed retaining and paying for the services of various male escorts for the purpose of companionship and sexual services," Weatherill wrote.

The McCrones' statement of claim alleges that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Henry was "isolated and became very lonely and depressed."

"Due to her isolation, loneliness and depression she became very vulnerable," it says.