A woman who married her wealthy husband in the 1970s and divorced him in the 1990s has been awarded £6 million, nearly half of his £13.6 million fortune.  Even after they divorced they carried on living together but he started a relationship with another woman five years ago and she and her 12 year old daughter moved into the former matrimonial home.

In the Family Division of the High Court, Mr Justice Bodey said that the couple had treated the divorce as ‘just a piece of paper' and carried on living together as if there was ‘no distinction' between their life before and after the divorce.

However, he asked that his ex-wife stay in the home ‘as some sort of housekeeper' which the former wife, in her 50's, found ‘very demeaning and upsetting.' The husband also threatened to commit suicide or go on hunger strike if the former wife took him to court over financial matters.

The husband had argued that the couple had previously agreed that the wife would only be entitled to £3.4 million. However, the wife said that she had signed that agreement under duress and the judge ruled in her favour.

This is an interesting case as it shows that financial claims against each other even after divorce remain open unless they are dismissed by a court order or by a subsequent re marriage.

For advice regarding financial matters please contact Amanda Weaver on [email protected] or 01788 555042.