Emma is a solicitor at Westcott Solicitors in Bristol. She receives a call from an executor who distributed the deceased's bank account to beneficiaries before obtaining a grant of representation. The bank had subsequently requested sight of the grant before releasing the funds, but the executor had persuaded them to release the money based on a copy of the will. Emma warns of the serious consequences of distributing without a grant when one is required.
Which of the following statements correctly describes the consequences of distributing assets before obtaining a grant of representation?