Key Facts
- •Final financial remedies hearing following a 23-year marriage.
- •Main asset: former matrimonial home valued at £280,000.
- •Husband (Mr. N) unrepresented, wife (Mrs. N) represented by counsel.
- •Husband had received a significant inheritance (£468,000) and other substantial sums post-separation, which he dissipated.
- •Wife in poor health; husband in relatively good health and employed.
- •Significant non-compliance by the husband with court orders and financial proceedings rules.
- •Wife incurred substantial legal costs (£69,000, £19,000 outstanding).
Legal Principles
Fairness in the division of assets in financial remedy proceedings.
Section 25 Matrimonial Causes Act 1973
Cost penalties for unreasonable conduct during proceedings.
Practice Direction 28A
Outcomes
Husband to transfer his beneficial interest in the former matrimonial home to the wife.
Husband's significant dissipation of assets and non-compliance with court orders.
Husband not required to clear the mortgage on the former matrimonial home.
Husband's lack of funds despite previous receipt of substantial sums.
Husband to pay £10,000 towards wife's legal costs (£350/month).
Husband's significant non-compliance with court orders and financial proceedings rules.
Husband to clear the outstanding charging order of approximately £1600.
Agreement between the parties.
Clean break order.
To allow the parties to go their separate ways.