Predatory marriage/ The Sixth Commandment BBC drama

[Lalgarh]

Hi.
I used to be a carer for my elderly parents but they have both passed away now.

Anyway I do a voluntary thing where I phone this elderly lady for chat every weekend. "Brenda" is 97 and sharp as a tack. She also has another volunteer who chats to her. Her friend "Shirley" is 87 and v religious. She does not have carers yet but recently she has been raving to my Lady that she has a new fancy man. "Adrian" is from Ireland and has charmed Shirley off her feet. He helps with the gardening. He is still just about able to drive. He keeps her company. Brenda adores him and says he's charming and a gentleman. There's something of an age gap but he's wonderful company for Shirley. He has apparently a Tragic Backstory that has not been fully been gone in to.i heard about this chap a few months ago and it sounded too good to be true.
I was aware of a little known but increasing Thing of "predatory marriage" where elderly widows/ widowers suddenly have whirlwind romances and have a late life marriage. The spouse then pockets the inheritance and moves on.

https://todayswillsandprobate.co.uk/law-commission-aware-of-concerns-around-predatory-marriage/
Shirley has adult children who are sceptical but Adrian insists his intentions are honourable. Ho hum I thought. Then this weekend I had a catch up with Brenda and she suddenly said "oh did I tell you? Shirley is getting married!"
Shirley has this big engagement ring that she was flashing to all the nurses at a recent appointment and she's like a teenager on her first romance. Though Adrian wants a quick wedding. It's in 3 weeks time.they want Brenda to attend (she's not very mobile). Adrian, oddly is a UK citizen as he was born in Northern Ireland but moved to Ireland as a child so doesn't have a UK driving license, or any UK documentation to prove who he is. And he gets "upset" at all the bureaucracy involved and any awkward questions.
There are alarm bells ringing with me here. They don't even want it announced in the local papers (you'd think a late life marriage would be a feel good story the papers would jump at).
I mean, this is all perfectly lovely. Isn't it? I'm just aware of The Peter Farquhar / Ben Field case, soon to be screened on BBC as The Sixth Commandment.

https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2023/the-sixth-commandment-trailer

Brenda is convinced he's lovely. So everything is fine.
Isn't it?

I it isn't . But if the lady is of sound mind there is not a lot can be done, other than a close relative going to the police who may be able to dig into his background? Or maybe the relatives can hire a private detective to do some digging , other than that there is nothing anyone can do .

Thanks @kraftyKitten .

As an update, my elderly friend has had a setback recently. You are right that the family of Shirley are sceptical. I think she is part of a religious group that takes in waifs and strays and there is something slightly off about them that the relatives are picking up on.
I'll note that my elderly friend also has told me that Adrian insists he is not purely after Shirley's money and has signed a "pledge of honesty"or whatever that is, which to me sounds as legally meaningless as the betrothal ceremony Ben Field held for poor Peter Farquhar in the Sixth Commandment. There to make the other party feel comfort, but if there is a marriage then irrelevant

My friend Brenda has been left very upset by Shirley after they said some very callous comments she made to her and owing to her health she's not attending the wedding. probably for the best

Meanwhile in a similar vein there is this podcast about a 50 something ex con who fetches up with an 80+ widow

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p04sj2pt?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile