Divorces by rich foreign couples ‘good for Britain’

DIVORCE tourists are good for Britain because they pay so much tax, a High Court judge has suggested.

Deputy High Court Judge Richard Todd says hundreds of thousands of pounds sometimes have to be spent on lawyers when millions or tens of millions of pounds are at stake.

He also says the Government can benefit because foreign millionaires pay tax on what they spend.

The judge spoke out when analysing a case in which a former director of League One football club Blackpool is embroiled in a battle over money with his former wife.

Valeri Belokon, a Latvian millionaire businessman, and Diana Belokon, his ex-wife, are fighting at a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

Judge Todd said Mr Belokon had spent more than £1million on lawyers and his ex-wife around £750,000. “These figures may seem to an uninformed bystander to be extremely high,” said the judge. “They are not.”

He said “millions and tens of millions” could be sometimes be at stake in the matter.

The judge heard that Mr Belokon’s ex-wife wanted a payment running into millions.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding that somehow lawyers in these cases are charging fees that are wholly unreasonable,” he added. “These fees are subject to rigorous investigation and assessment.”

He estimated the Belokons case, due to be resolved this week, might generate more than £19million in tax.

The judge said that was “vastly greater” than the amounts of public spending paying for him, court staff and courts.

Mr Belokon is arguing his ex-wife’s claim is without merit and says she should get nothing.

In November, Mr Belokon won a High Court fight with Owen Oyston and his son Karl Oyston, Blackpool FC directors.

A judge told the Oystons to pay more than £30 million after Mr Belokon, who bought a 20 per cent stake in Blackpool FC 12 years ago, complained of being excluded from key decisions and shares of profits.