Settle it in private, judge pleads in Ecclestone divorce battle
A JUDGE has urged Petra Ecclestone and her estranged husband James Stunt to settle their divorce in private as he warned of the potential effect on their children of a public hearing.
Judge Martin O’dwyer offered the advice as he set out a timetable for the dispute to be heard at London’s Central Family Court.
He suggested “the sensible way forward” was for both sides to reach a reasonable compromise without having to publicly give evidence and be crossexamined.
Press reports have estimated there is a £5.5 billion fortune at stake in the break-up of the marriage.
Tim Bishop QC, for Miss Ecclestone, daughter of Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One tycoon, said she had “struggled to find a consensual approach to the dissolution of the marriage”, but this had been rejected by Mr Stunt.
The judge said: “It is very unfortunate that the parents of three young children are going to engage in this particular process.”
Mr Bishop said: “It is more than unfortunate. It is absolutely scandalous. It is completely obvious this marriage has irretrievably broken down. What is going on is no more than a charade.”
He accused Mr Stunt, who runs an international gold bullion firm, of seeking to hijack proceedings “for a wholly improper collateral purpose”.
The judge ordered a case management hearing to take place over half a day on Aug 3 “to see whether there is a way forward”. He also called for a twoday hearing between husband and wife to take place, if an agreement is not reached, on Oct 12.
He said a legal fight in public could have “repercussions for their lives and their children’s lives going forward”.
Judge O’dwyer said it was “a very sad state of affairs” that the question of whether a relationship had broken down could not be determined between the parties.
Miss Ecclestone and Mr Stunt are expected to fight over their £158million Los Angeles mansion and a Grade Iilisted home in London’s Chelsea worth up to £100 million.
At a hearing last month it was revealed Mr Stunt signed a prenuptial agreement worth £16million.