Man pays ex-wife ?200k 30 years after divorce

A man who divorced his wife in 1978 after she was unfaithful has been made to pay her £202,000 because she has come into financial difficulty.

Millionaire Dennis North gave former spouse Jean the marital home and agreed that she could have the money earned in rent from other properties as part of her initial settlement 30 years ago. However, she has recently lost money through poor investments, and a judge order Mr North to pay her the lump sum.

The 70-year-old's lawyers had attempted to prevent the payment having to be made, because according to barrister Philip Moor QC Mrs North was attempting to get "a second bite at the cherry".

"The whole purpose of divorce is to disentangle people so they can lead independent lives. The changes in financial positions of the parties since 1981 and the differential between them that has arisen over the years cannot be relevant," he said.

Mr Moor added that he feels the law which allows either party in a divorce case to ask for maintenance to be replaced by a lump sum at any time "penalise[s] those who behave responsibly".

However, lawyers for Mrs North, 62, believe that the additional settlement is fair. Her barrister Deborah Bangay QC said: "This was not a second bite at the cherry but it is what are her reasonable needs. The court was entitled to take into account the obvious wealth of the former husband."