Girlfriend of dead Nomads bikie wins control of his $5MILLION estate and leaves his mother with nothing – despite lying to Centrelink about being married to him 'to boost her benefits'

  • Nomads bikie Adrian Pamplin died in mid-2013 leaving behind a $5 million estate
  • His girlfriend Ann Margaret Irwin this week inherited his estate after court battle
  • Ms Irwin was awarded the massive inheritance after a battle with Pamplin's mum
  • The 46-year-old had links to notorious Australian crime and underworld figures
  • Court heard Ms Irwin claimed the pair were married to boost her Centrelink pay

The girlfriend of a Nomads bikie with links to notorious underworld figures has been awarded his enormous $5 million estate after a bitter legal battle with his mother.

Adrian Pamplin was a long-serving member of the outlaw motorcycle club and had links to drugs and organised crime, before he died of an illness in 2013 at age 46. 

But at the time of his death, Pamplin had not written a will, with his long-term partner Ann Margaret Irwin and his mother Marie Pamplin left to battle it out in court over his multi-million dollar life insurance payout.

This week the NSW Supreme Court ruled in favour of awarding Ms Irwin a payout and control of his $2.5m family business - despite them never marrying and her allegedly being a welfare cheat.

The girlfriend of Nomads bikie Adrian Pamplin (pictured) has inherited his enormous $5 million estate after a bitter legal battle with his mother

The girlfriend of Nomads bikie Adrian Pamplin (pictured) has inherited his enormous $5 million estate after a bitter legal battle with his mother

Ann Margaret Irwin (pictured) was awarded the payout by the NSW Supreme Court over his mother. Ms Irwin and Pamplin had been in a relationship since 1987 but were never married

Ann Margaret Irwin (pictured) was awarded the payout by the NSW Supreme Court over his mother. Ms Irwin and Pamplin had been in a relationship since 1987 but were never married

Having married and with no will to explicitly determine the break down of his estate, Ms Irwin was forced to prove to the court she was his 'surviving de facto spouse'. 

 

Court documents seen by Daily Mail Australia reveal the pair's friendship began back in 1985, before they progressed into a 'sexually intimate' relationship two years later. 

Pamplin and Ms Irwin dated for the best part of the next three decades, considering marriage briefly in 1990 before ultimately deciding it 'was an unnecessary formality'.

Ms Irwin gave a eulogy at Pamplin's funeral, calling him 'the only love (she had) ever known'.

'We have spent the last 27 years of our lives together. No matter how many tears I cry or how much time goes by, my heart will never let you go,' she said. 

'Adrian… why did you leave me here alone?'

But the bikie's mother Marie Pamplin claimed to the NSW Supreme Court that for two years before her son's death, his relationship with Ms Irwin was a 'friendship only'.

Ms Pamplin, along with her son Lionel who was also a Nomads member, claimed this meant Ms Irwin should not be awarded the multi-million dollar estate payout.

But court documents revealed that on May 16, 2013, the bikie emailed his lover and outlined the plans for his estate should he die:

'Baby just so you have it on record. If or when I die you'll get $2,000,000 and the company will get… $2,500,000,' Mr Pamplin wrote. 

'I've filled out 99% of the forms for the policy that you'll "own"... So once I am dead, you enjoy and use the money to get over my death ASAP. 

'I'm not frightened one little bit about dying, I'm looking forward to the peaceful departure. 

Court documents revealed that on May 16, 2013, the bikie emailed his lover and outlined plans for his estate should he die

Court documents revealed that on May 16, 2013, the bikie emailed his lover and outlined plans for his estate should he die

Ms Irwin posted photos to social media showing her bikie lover's named tattooed on the inside of her arm

Ms Irwin posted photos to social media showing her bikie lover's named tattooed on the inside of her arm

Pamplin (pictured) died at age 46 in 2013 after a long battle with illness

Pamplin (pictured) died at age 46 in 2013 after a long battle with illness

'So don't freak out, I'm not going anywhere soon, but you'll be very wealthy when I die and you deserve every bit of it. I love you little one! XXX'

Documents also revealed the couple had an 'unorthodox' living arrangement where they would split their time between two buildings located on the Pitt Town property.

The court heard Pamplin helped 'fund' Ms Irwin to buy the property outright herself but that throughout 'they remained parties to an ongoing, joint family enterprise'.

It was also told that throughout their relationship they would refer to each other with terms such as 'girlfriend', 'friend' or 'my girl'. 

The court heard that although she denied lying to Centrelink to improve her benefits, Ms Irwin was 'untruthful in describing her marital status' for her 'social security' pay.

Preparing for his death after a long battle with illness, in the mid-1990s Pamplin had arranged for his and Ms Irwin's ashes to be kept together at a Sydney cemetery.

Finding in favour of Ms Irwin, Justice Geoff Lindsay pointed to the pair having 'lived together', being 'sexually intimate' and a 'commitment to a shared life'.

The court heard Pamplin had spoken about his 'fear of... a bikie war' to a friend in 2011

The court heard Pamplin had spoken about his 'fear of... a bikie war' to a friend in 2011

Despite the bikie's mother's claims their relationship was solely a 'friendship', Justice Geoff Lindsay found 'the fact that the deceased became increasingly reclusive as he aged is consistent with his ill health'.

He also said that so much a part of the family was Ms Irwin through her roles as both a lover and employee of the family business that she was treated like a 'spouse'. 

Justice Lindsay also claimed his reclusive behaviour may have come from a 'fear of violence emanating from 'a bikie war'' which he had mentioned to a friend in 2011.

Among the well known crime figures Pamplin reportedly associated with were Karl 'The Godfather' Bonnette and friends of Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto.