In late 2002, Richard Hillman, up to his eyes in debt and his business interests failing, concocted a plan to convince everyone that mother-in-law Audrey Roberts was entering senility and then kill her in a fire in her house which would be put down to an accidental death and her estate would be paid to daughter Gail. To this end, he copied her house keys and entered it on several occasions, moving items round, putting washing out which had been left in the machine, leaving the radio on, etc. Driven to despair, Audrey went to see Dr Matin who conduced several short-term memory tests which proved that nothing was wrong in that direction and she wasn't displaying any of the classic symptoms of Alzheimer's. Nevertheless, she made an appointment for Audrey to see a psychiatrist however Richard, seeing that his efforts would come to nothing once expert opinion was gained, brought forward his plans and within a few days, tried to kill Audrey in a fire. Thanks to Steve McDonald and Archie Shuttleworth who arrived on the scene and rescued her, she survived his murderous attempt.