The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Wealthy couple left ‘ruined’ by long court battle over divorce
An aristocrat and his estranged wife who became embroiled in a Supreme Court battle following the breakdown of their marriage are both “financially ruined”, a judge has said.
Charles Villiers, 57, said he and estranged wife Emma Villiers, 62, were divorcing in Scotland and should therefore fight over money in a Scottish court not an English court, but Supreme Court justices ruled against him.
Mr Justice Mostyn, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, has now considered arguments over money at a private hearing.
He concluded yesterday that Mr Villiers could not afford to pay the maintenance Mrs Villiers said she should get.
The judge said, in a written ruling on the Villiers’ money fight, that the “terrible” litigation had “endured for nearly six years”.
He said Mr and Mrs Villiers had been left “financially ruined”.
Judges have heard how Mr and Mrs Villiers had lived near Dumbarton.
They had separated in 2012 after 18 years of marriage – Mr Villiers still lives in Scotland, Mrs Villiers lives in London.
Another London-based judge had earlier concluded in 2015 that Mr Villiers should pay Mrs Villiers £2,500-a-month maintenance pending the conclusion of the dispute.
Mr Villiers had not paid.
Mrs Villiers said she was owed several hundred thousand pounds.
But Mr Justice Mostyn has not ordered Mr Villiers to pay the money Mrs Villiers says she is entitled to.
He concluded that Mr Villiers was “not able to pay”.
Mr Justice Mostyn said both Mr and Mrs Villiers had made accusations against the other after “love” turned to “hatred”.
“This case has been played out in the public eye and has attracted much lurid publicity,” he said in his ruling.
“This has been a case where love has turned to hatred to an extraordinary degree.”
He said “hours” had been spent “picking over ancient grievances” during the hearing he oversaw.
“The husband has vented his spleen by alleging that the wife is a bigamist,” Mr Justice Mostyn said.
“The wife, with some justification, has accused the husband of being dishonest, manipulative, vindictive and bullying.”
He added: “The result of this terrible litigation, which has endured for nearly six years, is that both parties are now financially ruined and, I suspect, psychologically damaged.”
This case has been played out in the public eye