Divorce deal where wives always keep... the handbags!

WARRING couples can protect their wealth in the divorce courts by buying luxury items or collectables, say lawyers.

Designer handbags, high-end bicycles and even fishing rods can help a partner end the split with a higher share of their fortune intact.

The loophole has opened up because of the growing pressure on family courts to speed up the time it takes to divide a couple’s assets. Judges are increasingly likely to overlook personal possessions as long as they do not appear to be worth a major share of the couple’s wealth, said a report by Hall Brown Family Law.

Divorcees could hold on to items including jewellery, watches, televisions, stamp collections and even cutlery as long as they are not conspicuously valuable.

In one recent case, a wife persuaded a court to ignore her 25 Christmas baubles – which were worth £60 each.

But James Brown, of Hall Brown Family Law, said: ‘That should not be regarded as an opportunity for spouses to engage in dishonesty and almost hide valuables.’