A JUDGE came down on the side of a councillor after she was accused by her family of wrongly taking over £2,000 worth of possessions from her dead sister's flat.

Councillor Gail Giles, of Caerleon, was accused by her father and sister of 'profiting' from the death of cancer victim Claire Williams.

Councillor Giles told a civil hearing at Newport county court yesterday that after her sister died in early January she collected her handbag from hospital and went to her London flat to sort out her affairs.

But sister Alison Garwood and father Graham Williams said she took a stereo, pictures, a computer, a kettle, jewellery, a video player and other items.

They said Councillor Giles, of Hazel Walk, was not entitled to take the goods because Ms Williams had left a will.

Councillor Giles said she had gathered only financial papers and oddments, which she sent to the solicitor once she realised there was a will. She denied taking the disputed items.

She said it was likely Claire did not own a kettle and added: "She did not drink tea and she drank cold fizzy drinks because her mouth was so uncomfortable with the chemotherapy."

The hearing uncovered a bitter family divide - Councillor Giles fell out with her father when she was 16 and Mrs Garwood had not seen her deceased sister since an row in 1999.

Mr Williams said Councillor Giles had deliberately kept them in the dark about his daughter's death and then ignored their phone calls and letters once they found out.

He said: "Who on earth would refuse to tell their father or sister that their daughter had died? Had a man from Swansea not phoned we wouldn't have known for weeks. The motive was money."

Councillor Giles told her father: "Claire wanted nothing to do with Alison. She told me she wanted nothing to do with you. She couldn't stand you."

District judge Rachel Evans dismissed the claim by Mrs Garwood for items worth £1,565 allegedly taken from the flat and for £544.07 of goods allegedly taken from a handbag.

She said: "I have no hesitation in saying I believe Mrs Giles. I'm very sorry about this family dispute."