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| Philip Turvey wins defamation settlement against Daniel Curran of Heir Hunters | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| They are leading experts in the field of heir hunting, unearthing surprise legacies from distant relatives. But their bitter rivalry in business and on television has rocked the normally genteel world of genealogy. | They are leading experts in the field of heir hunting, unearthing surprise legacies from distant relatives. But their bitter rivalry in business and on television has rocked the normally genteel world of genealogy. |
| Philip Turvey’s company has helped trace the ancestral lines of Sebastian Coe, Minnie Driver and Sheridan Smith for the family history programme Who Do You Think You Are?, while Daniel Curran is a regular on another BBC show, daytime series Heir Hunters. | Philip Turvey’s company has helped trace the ancestral lines of Sebastian Coe, Minnie Driver and Sheridan Smith for the family history programme Who Do You Think You Are?, while Daniel Curran is a regular on another BBC show, daytime series Heir Hunters. |
| In a high-profile legal fight between the two probate detectives, Turvey has won a settlement for defamation. | |
| Curran will pay Turvey’s costs and make a donation to charity in lieu of damages in a settlement announced on Wednesday. He has also apologised for a cloak-and-dagger social media campaign which directed prospective customers to a petition that wrongly accused Turvey of fraud, burglary, harassment and witness intimidation. | |
| The two men are well known in their field, which can be fiercely competitive. There are small fortunes to be made from heir hunting. In exchange for helping connect people with their unexpected legacies, probate detectives charge a commission: typically 10% but can be as high as 40%. | The two men are well known in their field, which can be fiercely competitive. There are small fortunes to be made from heir hunting. In exchange for helping connect people with their unexpected legacies, probate detectives charge a commission: typically 10% but can be as high as 40%. |
| The names of individuals who die intestate (with their estates unclaimed) are published every Thursday by the Treasury solicitor, on a list known as Bona vacantia, (ownerless goods). Rival companies race to sign up new customers and the competition for business can lead to sharp practices. | The names of individuals who die intestate (with their estates unclaimed) are published every Thursday by the Treasury solicitor, on a list known as Bona vacantia, (ownerless goods). Rival companies race to sign up new customers and the competition for business can lead to sharp practices. |
| Curran has been exposed for taking matters too far. In a humiliating climbdown, the TV expert admitted that he used false names and accounts on social media to make defamatory claims about the Turveys. | Curran has been exposed for taking matters too far. In a humiliating climbdown, the TV expert admitted that he used false names and accounts on social media to make defamatory claims about the Turveys. |
| He is a regular on Heir Hunters, which recently completed a 20-episode series on BBC1. After leaving school at 16, he started his business in 1997 and operates from offices in Silicon Roundabout, London’s technology hub. | He is a regular on Heir Hunters, which recently completed a 20-episode series on BBC1. After leaving school at 16, he started his business in 1997 and operates from offices in Silicon Roundabout, London’s technology hub. |
| The trouble began in July 2014 with a series of anonymous tweets against Philip Turvey and his father, Peter, , who founded Anglia Research and still works for the business. The tweets referred to them as “Purvey”. After a legal battle for disclosure it was revealed the accounts had been created by an employee of Curran’s firm. | The trouble began in July 2014 with a series of anonymous tweets against Philip Turvey and his father, Peter, , who founded Anglia Research and still works for the business. The tweets referred to them as “Purvey”. After a legal battle for disclosure it was revealed the accounts had been created by an employee of Curran’s firm. |
| In November 2014, the claimants saw a petition published on Change.org by a squatter they had evicted from a property in Charlton. As well as tracing heirs, Anglia provides administration services to help individuals claim the assets in an estate. | In November 2014, the claimants saw a petition published on Change.org by a squatter they had evicted from a property in Charlton. As well as tracing heirs, Anglia provides administration services to help individuals claim the assets in an estate. |
| The petition accused Phillip of stealing the home of the man, named only as Dave from Charlton. It claimed he had broken into Dave’s home and relayed how Dave had sprayed him with a red dye he described as “criminal identifier spray”. | The petition accused Phillip of stealing the home of the man, named only as Dave from Charlton. It claimed he had broken into Dave’s home and relayed how Dave had sprayed him with a red dye he described as “criminal identifier spray”. |
| Though he was not involved in creating the petition, Curran has now admitted to actively circulating it. In November the link was sent to 37 freelance field agents who worked as heir hunters. That month someone using the name John Davies and claiming to be from Turvey’s hometown of Ipswich published two defamatory about him comments under the petition. | Though he was not involved in creating the petition, Curran has now admitted to actively circulating it. In November the link was sent to 37 freelance field agents who worked as heir hunters. That month someone using the name John Davies and claiming to be from Turvey’s hometown of Ipswich published two defamatory about him comments under the petition. |
| Legal disclosures revealed that the creator of the John Davies account was, in fact, Curran. | Legal disclosures revealed that the creator of the John Davies account was, in fact, Curran. |
| In December 2014, the claimants said Curran again posed as a member of the public, this time with a notional claim to an estate. He posted a link to the petition on the consumer protection website Which?, where it appeared under an article headlined: Are heir hunters cheating us out of our inheritance?. | In December 2014, the claimants said Curran again posed as a member of the public, this time with a notional claim to an estate. He posted a link to the petition on the consumer protection website Which?, where it appeared under an article headlined: Are heir hunters cheating us out of our inheritance?. |
| By circulating the petition, Turvey argued Curran was in effect endorsing it. He was being wrongly accused of having “conspired with a police sergeant who had sinister criminal connections to steal the property of a vulnerable adult, commit a series of serious criminal offences including conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, fraud, burglary, harassment, witness intimidation and offences under terrorism legislation”. | By circulating the petition, Turvey argued Curran was in effect endorsing it. He was being wrongly accused of having “conspired with a police sergeant who had sinister criminal connections to steal the property of a vulnerable adult, commit a series of serious criminal offences including conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, fraud, burglary, harassment, witness intimidation and offences under terrorism legislation”. |
| The petition was eventually removed from Change.org. But a trawl through Curran’s emails, ordered by the courts, found the boss had sent a pdf version to his employees with the instruction: “for use whenever it may be appropriate”. | The petition was eventually removed from Change.org. But a trawl through Curran’s emails, ordered by the courts, found the boss had sent a pdf version to his employees with the instruction: “for use whenever it may be appropriate”. |
| In July 2015, Turvey’s solicitors wrote to Curran warning of legal action. One month later, Anglia sued for damages. | In July 2015, Turvey’s solicitors wrote to Curran warning of legal action. One month later, Anglia sued for damages. |
| The two firms have clashed in court before. In 2013, Finders won a county court claim against Anglia, for £5,000 including costs. | The two firms have clashed in court before. In 2013, Finders won a county court claim against Anglia, for £5,000 including costs. |
| The pair have now released a joint statement, which says: “Finders and Daniel Curran have apologised unreservedly to Philip Turvey for what happened, for the distress these incidents will have caused him, and for the harm that has been caused to his reputation as a result of the publications.” | The pair have now released a joint statement, which says: “Finders and Daniel Curran have apologised unreservedly to Philip Turvey for what happened, for the distress these incidents will have caused him, and for the harm that has been caused to his reputation as a result of the publications.” |
| ● This article was amended on Wednesday 19 October. The article originally stated that the dispute had been settled after a high court case, when it never reached trial and was settled out of court. It was also amended to make it clear that Curran did not directly accuse Turvey of the allegations made in the petition. |