Hostess loses court appeal to get bigger share of millionaire ex-husband’s wealth

♦ A former air hostess has been denied a higher divorce payout after a court found that her millionaire ex-husband was already wealthy when they married.

The Court of Appeal ruled that an earlier award of £3.5million was correct and that Karen Hart, who is in her early 60s, was not entitled to any more, despite this being less than half the marital pot.

Last year Judge Stephen Wildblood heard that her former husband John Hart, a property developer now in his early 80s, was “undoubtedly wealthy” when the couple wed, bringing £2.6 million into the marriage 20 years ago.

He ruled that Ms Hart should get £3.5 million of the couple’s £9.4 million fortune, a figure which she appealed against on the grounds that it was not an equal share.

But three appeal court judges agreed with his assessment, saying he was “plainly entitled to find that the husband had substantial wealth at the commencement of the relationship, because this was agreed.

“Further, he was also entitled, when determining how to exercise his discretion, to conclude that an equal division would be unfair.”