Husband must allow his ex-wife use of chauffeur

A JUDGE has ordered a multi-millionaire to allow his ex-wife continued use of their chauffeur.

Mr Justice Holman said the man’s behaviour was “highly controlling” in instructing the chauffeur to drive the woman only when she was making a journey with their children. The driver had been told not to drive the woman when she was alone.

It was “frankly absurd” and “demeaning” that the woman could not undertake any “reasonable journey”, the judge added.

The judge outlined his complaints in a ruling after a preliminary round of the couple’s fight in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

“The wife complains that, because it is the husband who pays the salary of the driver, the husband instructs the driver that he is not to drive the wife anywhere alone in the car, unless she has the children with her and it is a journey for the purpose and benefit of the children,” he said.

“It is, frankly, absurd if the cars are available and the proposed journey is within the contracted hours of work of the driver, that the wife … should not be able to undertake some reasonable journey.”

Although he has not identified the family, the judge said the man lived in Oman and indicated that the woman lived in London.

He added: “This, of course, has been the historical pattern in this family. They do not drive themselves.”

Mr Justice Holman said the woman had already spent more than £200,000 on “prestigious” London lawyers and the man more than £100,000.